Coin of Amphipolis under Lucius Verus c. 2th century

Curator: Here we have a bronze coin from Amphipolis under the rule of Lucius Verus, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: Wow, it's incredible how worn and loved this coin looks. The patinas tell a story of touch and exchange. Curator: It's heavier than it looks at 6.25 grams. One side shows the Emperor’s profile, the other a fascinatingly stylized lion. Editor: That lion—it’s more than just a big cat, isn't it? A symbol of power, yes, but also of the region itself, a marker of Amphipolis. Curator: Exactly. Coins acted as portable billboards, projecting imperial authority and local identity in one small object. Editor: It’s humbling to realize such a small object once held so much weight. It makes you wonder about the hands it passed through. Curator: Indeed, and what stories it silently carried from the marketplace to someone's hidden purse.