One-Eighth Stavraton of Manuel II c. 1391 - 1425

Editor: So, here we have "One-Eighth Stavraton of Manuel II". It's teeny, and looks like a well-worn coin. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: The interesting thing about this coin is not its artistic merit, but the social conditions of its production and circulation. How did the Byzantine economy shape its material form? Editor: That's interesting, I wouldn't have thought about that! Curator: Consider the labor involved in mining, refining, and minting such a small object. Its value wasn't inherent, but created through systems of power and exchange. Editor: So it represents a whole system? Curator: Precisely. And how that system impacts the coin's physical presence today. Editor: I'll never look at a coin the same way again! Curator: Agreed. It truly opens our eyes.