Coin of Phokas c. 603 - 604

Curator: This humble coin, bearing the name of Phokas, whispers tales of a turbulent era, doesn't it? Editor: It feels like holding condensed history. The patinated surface speaks of the earth it was buried in, the labor that mined the metal, and the hands that struck it. Curator: Absolutely! Gaze upon the emperor’s rough visage on one side. It feels almost… haunted. Do you sense that too? Editor: It’s a stark contrast to the more standardized reverse with its “XXX” mark. Three X's for thirty nummi, a worker's wage. Curator: I love thinking about a common laborer holding this very coin. A tangible connection to a life lived so long ago. Editor: Exactly, coins were material declarations of power and economic systems that impacted daily life. It makes you wonder about the stories it could tell.