Coin of Manuel I c. 12th century

Curator: Immediately, I feel the weight of time looking at this coin. It’s small, yes, but monumental. Editor: Indeed. What we're looking at is a "Coin of Manuel I," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Its creation tells a story far beyond its 3.04 grams, doesn't it? Curator: Absolutely. To think of the hands it passed through, the economies it fueled...it's like holding a tiny, dense universe in my palm. I wonder what kind of marketplace it jingled in. Editor: Coins are powerful tools, and this one, bearing the image of Manuel I, speaks directly to the projection of imperial power and the control of narrative through imagery. It makes you consider who gets remembered and how. Curator: I think, too, about the artist’s hand, the person who meticulously engraved these details. Did they know their work would outlast empires? Editor: Art often outlives the political structures that commission it, doesn't it? That's why we keep digging for insight. Curator: A pretty penny, indeed. Editor: Indeed, and it's worth more than its weight in gold.