Coin of Amphipolis under Septimius Severus c. 2th - 3th century

Curator: Here we have a coin, specifically, a Coin of Amphipolis created under Septimius Severus, now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought? It feels…ancient, obviously, but also deeply weathered, like time itself has sculpted it. Curator: The verdigris, that green patina, tells such a story, doesn't it? It’s copper interacting with its environment over centuries. Editor: Exactly, I wonder what hands it passed through, what pockets it lined. Did someone buy bread with it? Pay a tax? What untold stories reside in this little piece? Curator: It's fascinating to think about. It weighs a mere 7.44 grams, yet it carries the weight of an empire. Editor: It makes you wonder about value doesn't it? What constitutes value, whether now or in the time of Septimius Severus. Curator: Indeed. A king’s worth on a small disc. Editor: Something so small containing so much—a tangible link to the past.