As of Lucius Verus? Cast? c. 2th century

Curator: Here we have a cast of a coin, perhaps in the likeness of Lucius Verus, currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The piece has an immediate roughness, an eroded quality that speaks to its history and materiality. Curator: The coin's production would have involved skilled labor and the availability of specific metals, pointing to trade networks and economic systems. Editor: Note the subtle relief and the attempt to capture a likeness. It attempts representation, but its eroded state adds layers of abstraction. Curator: The act of casting itself is a reproductive process, raising questions of authenticity and value. What constitutes the original? Editor: The circular form lends itself to certain structural interpretations, symbolizing cycles of power and the endless circulation of capital. Curator: And the coin's weight – 9.9 grams – speaks to its intrinsic value as a material object, regardless of its symbolic representations. Editor: Indeed. It's fascinating how such a small object can hold so much aesthetic and historical weight. Curator: It’s a portal into understanding the economics of its time. Editor: Precisely. A small coin, but rich with aesthetic and historical resonance.