Coin of Justin II c. 565 - 578

Curator: This is a coin of Justin II, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection, weighing a mere 1.66 grams. Editor: It’s almost crude, isn't it? The surfaces are worn, the imagery indistinct...I immediately think about its production. Curator: The very wear and tear is fascinating! Those symbols, likely referencing imperial power and religious authority, have been smoothed by countless transactions, carrying so much history. Editor: I'm drawn to that history, yes, but as one etched into the metal through labor. Consider the mint workers, the societal value placed on this stamped piece of metal. Curator: Indeed, a potent little object, vibrating with echoes of empire, belief, and the passage of time. Editor: An object that allows us to consider the material conditions of that empire, and how value was not inherent, but assigned and enforced.