Coin of Cleopatra VII, Alexandria 51 - 31 BCE

Curator: Here we have a coin of Cleopatra VII, from Alexandria. What strikes you about it? Editor: Immediately, the weathered texture. The erosion speaks volumes about its journey through time and material transformation. Curator: Absolutely. The coin acted as a symbol of royal power and the economics of imagery, circulated widely, influencing perceptions of Cleopatra. Editor: Consider the labor involved. Mining the metals, creating the dies, the physical act of striking each coin–it was a monumental project of production. Curator: It's a fascinating artifact, offering insight into Cleopatra's reign and the use of currency as propaganda, impacting the political landscape of the time. Editor: Indeed. It's a tangible link to a legendary queen, shaped as much by history as it was by its means of production.