Coin of Ptolemy II of Egypt, Kyrenaica c. 271

Editor: This little coin, a bronze piece of Ptolemy II, is such a tangible connection to ancient Egypt. It's so small and unassuming, yet it feels like holding history in your hand. What stories do you imagine it could tell? Curator: Oh, the tales this coin could whisper! It's like a tiny portal, isn't it? To me, it speaks of power, of course – Ptolemy II wanting to leave his mark. But also, the everyday – the markets, the hands it passed through. Can you imagine someone buying bread with it? Editor: That's amazing to think about! Curator: It’s all about imagining the human touch. The artist who carved the die, the person who lost it, the one who found it ages later. It all adds to the coin's magic. Editor: I never thought of it that way! Curator: These objects become us, and we become them.