Copper Stamenon of Andronikos III, Constantinople c. 1328 - 1341

Editor: Here we have a copper Stamenon attributed to Andronikos III. The wear on this coin is striking. What does it tell us? Curator: The coin's materiality speaks volumes about its use and exchange. Notice the copper, a common material. Its base nature highlights a system of production, labor and consumption controlled by Andronikos III. Who minted the coin? How did its value fluctuate in the marketplace? Editor: That's a different way of looking at it. I was focused on the imagery. Curator: But the image is only part of the story. It's the circulation and function within a social framework that completes it. Editor: I see, it's like the coin is less about the emperor and more about the system that enabled him. Curator: Precisely. It's a lens into the material conditions of 14th century Constantinople.