Coin (AE4) of Valentinian II, Alexandria 383 - 388

Editor: Here we have an ancient coin, an AE4 from Alexandria, minted under Valentinian II. It’s small, unassuming... but holding it, you feel connected to a whole lost world, right? What stories do you imagine it could tell? Curator: It whispers of power and decay, doesn’t it? This little bronze disc wasn't just currency; it was propaganda, a miniature billboard broadcasting Valentinian's legitimacy. See how worn it is? Each imperfection is a brushstroke of time. Editor: It's incredible to think of it passing through so many hands! Curator: Imagine the anxieties it might have paid for, the hopes it represented... it's a little portal into the past, if you allow yourself to look closely. Editor: That's a wonderful way to think about it! I’ll never look at a coin the same way again.