Join us for First/Hand Fridays—monthly events in the Art Study Center where museum staff bring original works of art out of storage for Harvard students to discuss and enjoy!

In this session, we’ll delve into some of the rarest and most intriguing coins from ancient Greece and Rome. Discover some of the earliest coins ever made and explore why this revolutionary technology first appeared in Turkey around 640 BCE. We’ll examine how different cultures adapted and transformed coin designs, like the fascinating Celtic coins that abstract images from Greek models. You’ll also get a glimpse into the lives of the skilled yet mysterious artists who crafted these miniature works of art. Plus, don’t miss the chance to hold in your hands one of history’s most famous coins—the denarius minted by Brutus to commemorate the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE!