Sestertius of Gordian III 

Curator: This is a sestertius, a Roman coin, bearing the image of Gordian III. The object is made of bronze and weighs around 14.94 grams. Editor: It's so small, yet it feels weighty with history. A little worn, a bit mysterious, like holding a secret. Curator: The wear is significant; it speaks to its circulation and use. Look at the composition—the portrait in profile, the reverse showing a standing figure. These were carefully designed to convey power and legitimacy. Editor: Right, there’s a story etched in those lines. Makes you wonder about the hands it passed through, the lives it touched. It’s a tangible link to the ancient world. Curator: Precisely, and from a formalist perspective, the coin exemplifies how a mundane object can become an artifact imbued with symbolic meaning. Editor: A little ordinary object, yet now, it's extraordinary. Curator: A fitting end to our brief exploration of this artifact. Editor: Indeed!