Antoninianus of Valerian I c. 3th century

Editor: So, this is an Antoninianus of Valerian I, a coin made by the emperor himself, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks quite weathered, almost ghostly with that green patina. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Well, it whispers of power, doesn't it? A little metal disc trying to hold an empire together. The portrait, even worn, has a sternness that speaks volumes. Imagine the hands it passed through, the stories it could tell. Does it make you wonder about the value people placed upon it then, versus now? Editor: Definitely. I hadn't considered the sheer number of people who might have used it. It makes me think about value, and how it changes over time. Curator: Exactly! Maybe the real art is in the history it carries.