Anonymous Follis c. 1075 - 1080

Editor: Here we have an Anonymous Follis, a coin of unknown date and origin. The copper is heavily patinated. What strikes you about the piece? Curator: I'm drawn to the implications of its anonymity and the materials used. Copper, a common metal, suggests a wide distribution and use. How does the wear and tear on the coin speak to its journey through the hands of laborers, merchants, and perhaps even the impoverished? Editor: That's an interesting approach, thinking about all the people who might have touched it. It certainly feels like a very democratic object. Curator: Exactly! It challenges the notion of art as solely precious objects. The follis existed to facilitate exchange, reflecting the economic system and social relations of its time. We can learn so much from such a simple material. Editor: I never thought of a coin in quite that way before. Curator: Considering the processes involved in its creation and circulation opens up new avenues for understanding history and culture.