Coin of John II c. 1118 - 1122

Editor: Here we have a coin of John II, an artifact weighing just under four grams. It's hard to make out the details, but the coin feels almost weighty with history. How should we interpret this kind of object? Curator: Coins are fascinating because they weren't just money. They were propaganda, circulating images of power and authority. Consider who would have seen and handled this coin. What message did John II want to project about his rule? Editor: So, it's less about its value as currency and more about its symbolic worth? Curator: Precisely. Think about the iconography—what figures are depicted, and how does that reflect the political and religious climate of the time? This coin tells a story of empire. Editor: I never thought about money in this way before. It's incredible to realize that even something so small could be a tool of political influence. Curator: Indeed, everyday objects often carry the weightiest narratives.