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Feb 2006 Finds Page
Late medieval decorated spur fragment
Octagonal lead weight with wheatsheaf type hallmarks
16th/17thC bronze ring
Fibula brooch shaped find
British field sports enameled badge
Medieval long cross hammered silver coin
Large prism standing weight which appears to have a undefined hallmark
Elizabeth 1st hammered silver penny
Stag livery button

Gold on Bronze , glass stone - 6.94g, 34.41 mm L x 20.22 mm W x 2.09 mm T

ID'd by museum as Medieval

'This is not from the same era as the last two, rather about 30 years later, despite the similar overall look of patina and encrustation. This one is a CONSTANTINOPOLIS commemorative. The reverse has Victory on a ship's prow and no legend. When Constantine moved his capital to Byzantium and changed the name, there was a very large emission of coins from all mints with the allegorical personifications of either Constantinople or Rome instead of the usual royal portrait. Your piece is from the second officina at the mint of Trier, 330-331 A.D. RIC VII, Trier, # 530 - considered very common' Mark

'These are both folles (sing.- follis, plural-folles) dating from approximately 300-305 A.D. Both from the Mint at London which eschewed exergual mintmarks during this era.
The first is Maximian, the second, Constantius I - father-in-law and father of Constantine the Great respectively. These both have the GENIO POPVLI ROMANI reverse portraying the "Genius" (spirit, roughly) of the Roman People as an allegorical personification of a nude man, drapery over left arm, holding a patera (shallow, saucer-like libation-offering dish) and cornucopia.

Maximian's obverse legend is: IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG. He is laureate and cuirassed.

Constantius' obverse legend is FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, noting that his status was less than Imperial at this time - he would briefely be emperor before dying of illness in Britain in 307. He is also laureate and cuirassed.

I would assign Maximian to RIC VI, London 17, and Constantius to 22 of the same series.

Both these coins originally had a silvery wash over the copper to indicate that they were to be considered part of the silver series. The Maximian is rated "Common", Constantius "Scarce" in RIC, but both are in exceptional condition (as I'm sure you're aware) particularly for field-finds in England. I would limit any cleaning to a bare minimum on these, exposing only the highlights of legend and devices, leaving the fields encrusted for contrast - "earthen highlights" - common for mideast finds, this would be brilliantly unusual for native, British coins.

Nice pair of finds, guys!!

Mark

1596 Henri IV Huitieme D'Ecu

Obv Henricvs III

Domitian 69-96AD
Interesting silver mount - no hallmarks but the back appears to be early. Reported to museum as potential treasure. Initial indication is it might be Tudor
2nd Regiment of foot button
1327-1377 Edward III hammered silver penny
Lead seal with shield and crown mark
WWII Regiment belt slide
Button with crown
1921 George V milled silver sixpence
Navy button
Rabbit livery button
Charles 1st hammered silver sixpence civil war issue

1199AD King John short cross hammered silver penny- face side is mint

Coin after straightening

1844 Victoria gold half sovereign
Russian lead bale seal
Volunteers army button

Rarer early first issue 1559-60 (0.916) fine Elizabeth 1st hammered silver shilling in mint condition - fantastic find by Boston Bud

Elizabeth penny next to the shilling for size comparison- 5.90g, 32.88mm dia
Druid's Head on Obverse of 1788 Anglesey Token Parys Mines
EPWW monogrammed button
1817 George III milled silver sixpence
18thC lead button
Livery button
18thC spur
Unusual 1stC large Roman bronze - bust with long neck - sent off to Mark Lehman for possible ID
Small decorated bronze pin head with traces of red enameling remaining - possibly medieval
1696 William III milled silver love token
Charles 1st hammered silver one penny love token- earliest 'S' shape love token I have seen
15thC lead token

Roman latch key
1st C Roman bronze fibula brooch
Late 18thC silver thimble
Post Medieval bronze pot foot
Excellent find - Cross over period button between Tudor type mid 1500's and early 17thC buttons
1939 George VI milled silver sixpence
15thC chest key fragment
Early one piece 54th Regiment of foot button
Post medieval mount
13th to 15thC silvered seal matrix
1216 Henry III short cross hammered silver cut 1/4
1717 Danish 12 Skilling silver
1603 James 1st hammered silver sixpence
1581 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver sixpence
1581 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver sixpence
1572-3 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver penny

'This is an AE sestertius of Faustina Jr., Wife of Marcus Aurelius, issued after her death in 175 A.D. She died while accompanying her husband on a journey to the East.

The obverse legend should be: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA and as far as I can tell, the reverse is: AETERNITAS S - C with Aeternitas standing left, holding phoenix on globe and leaning on column, RIC III, 1693

A very interesting find - too bad it's laminating so badly'.

Mark Lehman

Roman bronze 1.14 g – 14.03mm

'I must assume to be some sort of "barbarous radiate" (dating roughly to the period 260-275 A.D.), although the very high relief is atypical for ANY sort of Roman coin and calls Greek more to mind, what little design characteristics can easily be discerned are most definitley not "Greek". I wish I could get some sort of clue what is happening on the reverse of this one - is that some sort of horse & rider? Again, a highly atypical depiction for a barbarous radiate, but lord only knows WHAT folks must have been thinking when they designed some of these things'.

Mark Lehman


 

Facinating coin weight - variation of a Scottish made thistle crown of James 1st and from the same site as Texas Dave's gold find

Roman bronze 1.71g – 18.06mm

'a reduced-module follis of Constantine I (307-337 A.D.) I can't make out the mint, but perhaps some cleaning in the exergual area would clear this up.

The reverse reads "BEATA TRANQVILLITAS" and shows an altar inscribed: VOT / IS / XX surmounted by a globe with three stars above. This series generally dates to the early 320's A.D. and is peculiar to the western European mints. A reading of the exergual mint mark might give us an ability to date it to a specific year - and would allow us to assign it to London, Trier, Lyon, etc.'

Mark Lehman

Dutch 1745 Duit copper coin
Gilded lion livery button
George III trade weight - London mint
S.Vincenzo Di Paolo

La Sza Vergine Dolorosa

'Way of the Cross '

1800 George III silver spoon fragment showing duty paid George bust hallmark
Late medieval seal ring - heraldic shield
Post medieval belt mount
Post medieval belt mount
18thC bayonet scabbard - earlier find ID'd
Post medieval double D buckle
1625 Charles 1st hammered silver penny - Tower mint
Royal Engineers button
Post 1840 Navy button
1569 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver three pence
1580 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver three pence
16thC Tudor rose belt mount
Silver button like a hammered silver coin - post 1706
Rare find 1711 Queen Anne milled silver shilling
Possible King John 1199 AD Early Medieval hammered silver penny
Possible Henry II 1180 AD

Early Medieval hammered silver half penny

C1000BC Bronze age socketed axe fragment showing signs of heavy wear 38.63 mm L x 36.10mm W x 12.79mm T found by NH Dave

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