Saxon silver penny fragment sent to Fitzwilliam for recording and ID - reported as hoard to museum

Saxon silver penny sent to Fitzwilliam for recording and ID - reported as hoard to museum

This is probably a 1016 AD Cnut Short Cross type

4thC Roman bronze coin sent for ID

Your first piece is a "garden variety" Constantius II, 337-361, reduced Æ majorina, c. 350-355, FEL TEMP REPARATIO Soldier lunging left spearing fallen horseman. I can't read the exergual mint mark, but these were struck at all the official Imperial mints and probably dozens of unofficial mints here and there throughout the Empire.
There is a good chance this is locally produced on at least a semi-official basis.

Mark Lehman

4thC Roman bronze coin sent for ID

And your coin # 2 is a billon "Quinarius" (presumably 1/2 antoninianus) of Allectus - the far less successful successor to Carausius, 293-296.
The reverse is LAETITIA AVG, galley rowing left.  These were struck in London and in your neck of the woods.  If you can reveal any letters in the exergue under the galley, you can determine if it's London or Camulodinum/ Colchester.  If you can make out a "QC" or "CQ" in the exergue you'll know it's local, if there's an "QL" it's London

Mark

1676 billion silver coin

XV Kreuzer (15 Kreuzer) Breslau 1676 MMW RDR Leopold I.

Austria, Leopold I (Hogmouth)

Obv LEOPOLDVS DG RI SAG H B REX

Rev 1676 ARCH ID AVS BVR 82 SIL

First double bust type 2ndC Roman silver I have seen - sent to mark Lehman for an ID

Very interesting - this is Marcus Antonius - Marc Antony - and Octavian (later to be Augustus) - an issue from Ephesus in the spring-summer of 41 BC - before the two of them had fallen out and while they were two legs of the triumvirate - along with Pompey.

Obv: M ANT IMP AVG III VIR R P C M BARBAT Q P (MP & AV are ligate) Bare head of Marc Antony right.
Rx: CAESAR IMP PONT III VIR R P C. Bare head of Octavian, right.

This is a HIGHLY desirable coin in almost any condition, but this is in pretty good shape.  The "granular" area, I'm afraid, looks a lot like a shovel-mark - but that's one of the almost unavoidable risks of MD (or really, any) digging style.

I would advise the owner to seek professional conservation - or to leave it completely as-found until some sophisticated and professional cleaning techniques can be brought to bear.

Mark

You may hear talk about the "historicity" of a coin - this one is from quite near "ground zero" for the true beginning of the Roman Empire as we know it.

My congratulations to the digger.  It might not have the market potential of an aureus, but it's an important historical document nonetheless.

Mark

1361 Edward III hammered gold 1/4 noble

Edward III (1361), Quarter-Noble, Transitional Treaty Period, quartered shield of arms - need to be straightened for definitive ID

lions in angles, lis above lion in fourth quarter, within beaded and linear tressures of eight arcs, trefoils in spandrels, beaded circle surrounding, saltire stops in legend, +exaltabitvr: in: gloria

19.91mm,1.96g

Ancient gold slag nuggets probably Saxon period- a previous larger example we found was disclaimed by the British museum as undiagnostic. The previous finder melted down the slag and made two gold cross neck laces, one was presented to landowner,

Sent to local and Fizwilliam museum for their comments

10.15g, 21.06mm L

10.22g, 22.55mm L

16.72g, 36.43mm L

17.15g, 30.60mm L

1199 King John hammered silver short cross penny - Class 5a-5b

Obv RICVS R **

Rev ICE+RA - Moneyer Ravlf of Chichester mint

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross penny

Obv hENR **

Rev hEN/RIO - Moneyer Henri

1327 Edward III hammered silver half penny

Obv + EDWA**

Rev TAS/LON - London mint

1216 Henry III hammered silver short cross half penny

Obv hEN*** X

Rev NICOL * - Moneyer Nicole

10- 40 AD Cunobelin Celtic gold qtr stater - sent to PAS for recording

1.31g, 11.16 mm

Medieval Papal Bullae. A lead Papal Bullae of Pope

Obverse shows the heads of the apostles Peter and Paul, the founders of the Church of Rome with SPASPE (Sanctus PAulus and Sanctus PEtrus) above

Rev ELIE STMVS PI III

http://historymedren.about.com/library/who/blwwpopelist.htm

38.73mm, 44.13g

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm

So far I cannot find the pope's name on the complete popes list links above ??

The reverse (verso) of the bulla shows the name of the Pope, which is written in the nominative, with his abbreviated title. It reads 'CELE / STINVS / PP • III' within a beaded border. The 'PP' has an 'Ω' above.

This bulla has the name of Pope Celestine III on the verso. He was elected Pope in 1191 and continued until 1198.

Spectacular find

c 10th C Late Saxon stirrup mount - Class 4 Type 10B - Traces of original silvering with decoration around top and edges remain

This classification comprises most of the mounts reflecting the Urnes style influences and depicting coiled animals.

Similar design Ref 190 Page 55 Williams - The curving neck of the beast seems to terminate in a head with a beak.

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross farthing

Obv ** RIC **

Rev ARD - Moneyer Ricard

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross farthing

Obv **REX **

Rev ** ROB** - Moneyer Roberd or Robert

1180 -1189 Henry II hammered silver short cross half penny - Class 1

Obv X hENR ***

Rev OR + REIN - Moneyer Reinald of Northampton mint

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross half penny - Class 5

Obv **RICVS RE **

Rev /VND/REN - Moneyer Renavd of Burt St Edmunds mint

1279 Edward 1st hammered silver halfpenny

Obv ** RDVS REX

1560 - 1561 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver shilling (12 pence) Cross Crosslet mint mark

15thC 'Shield of France' Jetton

Obv X AVE MARIA o GRACIA

1526-44 Henry VIII hammered silver sovereign penny - TC above shield

Obv CIVI TAS EBO RACI - York mint

10-40 AD Cunobelin Celtic silver unit

Sitting Griffin type - CVNO in tablet, wreath border

Griffin right on tablet containing CAMV - Classed as Extremely Rare

VA2051 1.25g, 14.29mm

Primary Saxon silver sceat 600- 700 AD - 'cooking' it to clean off crust

Sent to Fitzwilliam museum for recording

1.27g, 12mm

Many thanks for this new find, which I have recorded as EMC 2015.0132.

We can hope that the 'cooking' will improve the detail

Best wishes,

Martin

Continental milled silver

LOUIS XV "THE WELL-BELOVED" Écu dit "aux branches d'olivier" 1738 Tours silver

Obverse : LUD. XV. D. G. FR. ET NAV. REX. Buste du Roi à gauche, la tête nue, le cou cravaté, portant le cordon et la croix de l'ordre du Saint-Esprit sur une veste brodée ; au-dessous un coeur
Reverse : SIT NOMEN DOMINI - E - BENEDICTUM (Mg) 1738 Écu de France ovale, couronné entre deux branches d'olivier

1961 Butlins enamelled badge

Ayr in Scotland

Superb 1500 -1700 fish design belt slide

Huge Roman bronze sent for ID

29.27mm, 13.09g

Yes, it's a pretty easy one to pin down as to the emperor - I love it when we have nice, clear obverse legends

I believe this is a smallish bronze sestertius rather an an as, at this weight. This is Gordian III, a young emperor (ascended at the age of 13 or so, I believe) who ruled for a relatively long time towards the beginning of the social, political and economic chaos of the 3rd century. He ruled from 238-244 - from the time of the defeat of his uncle and grandfather, Gordians I & II until he was deposed by the Praetorian prefect Philip (I, "The Arab")

The sestertius, which had previously primarily been struck in "orichalcum" brass had by this time become a fully bronze piece. The obverse legend on this is IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG. Gordian was given the title "Pius" (faithful) due to his significant efforts to punish the legion responsible for the downfall and death of his uncle and gandfather. 
What I can't be quite so certain about is the reverse type. We have only the lower half of the figure, hips and legs - and possibly a raised hand, to work with and so it could be any of the personifications or deities portrayed standing in this posture. I believe the legend is probably "AETERNITAS AVG; S - C" with radiate Sol standing facing, head left, raising right hand and holding globe in left - but I can't be 100% certain.  This is a commonly-seen type for Gordian - an as of the same type and issue:

http://www.stoa.org/gallery/album100/ML_23_Gord_III_Sol_as

This piece, at 9.09g, is just about right at average for an As - yours at 12+g must have been a sestertius since dupondii invariably had the ruler wearing the radiate crown. 

Not a bad find, considering how profoundly chipped and deteriorated a lot of the Æ you've been finding lately seems to be - this isn't nearly so bad as some.

Mark

1485 -1509 Henry VII hammered silver sovereign penny - RD by shield

Throne has one pillar

Bishop Fox - Durham mint

Very interesting Roman bronze mount - could be a face

Medieval badges Ref Mitchiner p244 939 - 941

'A badge for a Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in bronze and dating somewhere around C13/14th possibly very slightly later . This is a very scarce item and it relates to The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem being a Catholic chivalric order of Knighthood that traces its roots to Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade. According to reliable sources in the Vatican and Jerusalem, it began in historical reality as a mixed clerical and lay confraternity (association) of pilgrims which gradually grew around the most central of the Christian holy places in the Middle East, the Holy Sepulchre or the tomb of Jesus Christ.This would have been a pin for a member of the order , there is a mark on the reverse where the original pin would have been fixed '

1377-1399 Richard II hammered silver half penny

Rev **D REX x ANGL'+

Obv CIVI/TAS/***/DON = London mint

Staggeringly beautiful 16thC Tudor gold key brooch - reported as treasure to museum

1.80g, 36mm L

Heavy thick 17th/18thC gold posy ring with inscription - reported as treasure to museum

'God alone made us tivo one' ( God made us to two be one ?)

Maker RD

7.51g, 22.68mm

Medieval high carat small gold band - possible child's ring

12.56mm, 0.16g

1279 Edward 1st hammered silver penny

Obv +EDWAR ANGLE DNS hYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR - Canterbury mint

Victorian 25th Regiment of foot button

Kings own royal border regiment

1500-1200 BC Late Bronze Age arrow head

Napoleonic period

​

19thC Norwich Union Society

Insurance company button

Stunning 11thC late Viking buckle - two biting beasts gripping the cross bar of the buckle

French Jetton

Crown introduced in 1340 by Philip VI (1328-50)

Royal Crown with 3 rosettes across body of crown

Rev Triple banded straight cross fleuretty AV

1279 Edward 1st hammered silver penny

Obv + EDWA**** hYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

Britain's Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 - 2000's

Bliss Bros Ltd

Rd 665050

Royal Artillery button

Dates - 1840 - 1855

1770's George III gold half guinea coin weight

2 pennyweight and 16 grains

Georgian silver spoon

Royal Artillery button

Dates - 1840 - 1855

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross half penny

Rev TAS/LON - London mint

Oct 1470-April 1471 Henry VI hammered silver penny (2nd reign) - initial mark Lis

G and Key to side of neck - quatrefoil in centre of reverse cross - York mint

Royal Navy Lieutenant - 1748

RN Flag Officer - 1748
Full Dress - 1748 - 1767
G. P. Dress - 1748 - 1783
Full & Undress - 1748 - 1787

Crude 18thC German Jetton

Lion of St Mark standing left with both wings shown. Book of the Gospels between fore- paws.Halo, rising into the margin, is surrounded by a star:

Medieval hammered silver half penny

Rev LON/CIVI - London mint

1279 Edward 1st hammered silver penny - Class 9 star on breast

Obv hYB+EDW

A copper-alloy sexfoil mount of Medieval date. The mount has been stamped from a piece of sheet-metal. It has six convex petals separated by grooves which cross at the centre. The underside is hollow and there is a possible corroded rivet attachment at the middle. Several examples of sexfoil mounts have been found in excavations in London (see Egan and Pritchard 1991: 186-193).

Class: Sexfoil

Chronology

Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL Date from: Circa AD 1300
Date to: Circa AD 1500

Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy

Manufacture method: Stamped

A copper-alloy cast mount. The mount is quatrefoil in shape with a cusp in each angle.

Chronology

Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1600
Date to: Circa AD 1700

19thC 53rd regiment of foot button

The 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot

1422- 27 Henry VI hammered silver groat - Annulet issue - Annulets by neck and two sets of oppossing pellets on reverse - Incorrect spelling of Calsie - IE missing, Obv legend should end in Z FRANC ??

Obv hENRIC DI GRA REX ANGLIE Z B ??

Rev VILLAx CALISx - Calais mint

Great shape 4thC Roman silver washed coin - sent for ID

1.84g, 18.84mm

Could I please have an average diameter and approximate weight?
This appears to be a SERIOUS oddball - we can start right off with the laureate bust on what seems lke it should be an antoninianus.  Then the obverse legend is very unusual - and so far I have not been abe to find this legend in any of the lists of legends for Maximian.
This appears to be PROVIDENTIA AVG (possibly AVGG). Maximian had a PROVIDENTIA AVGGG but a seated, not standing, Providentia.

Carausius issued a few coins in the names of the Tetrarchs with whom he wished to be identified - and I haven't gotten that far yet, but I'll let you know if I find something.

Very interesting.

Mark

This turns out not to be so oddball as I originally thought - because my initial guess was off by about 60 years - This is Maximinus I, 235-238 ("Thrax", "The Giant", "The Goth", etc. it's assumed he suffered from acromegaly) and if, as I'm guessing, it turns out to be in the 22-25mm vicinity, it would be an As. If it's larger, then it's more likely to be a Sestertius.
The reverse type, PROVIDENTIA AVG; S - C (single "G" in avg) Providentia standing left holding wand and cornucopiae, globe at feet, is completely appropriate and quite common for the period.
It was also the vagueness of the legend at ~2:00-4:00 obverse had me confused as well - the obverse legend is IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG.

It was obviously wrong for Maximinus II Daia, and I kept trying to find some issue of Maximian - perhaps a post abdication issue - instead. This denomination, quite rare, but not unknown during his time was still not listed with any standing Providentia reverses.

You have very seldom found - or at least showed me - coins of this general era.  I find it somewhat surprising, since both earlier and later Roman coins seem to be represented in profusion.  Was there some sort of disaster, plague or other external force which depressed the Roman settlement and/or population in the Colchester area around the early-mid 3rd century?

Mark

PS - I should give you a reference - if an As, it's RIC IV 63, Mint of Rome & SRCV 8362. 

At that size and weight - and missing the S - C (which I somehow thought I was seeing) this is actually a denarius.  It should be silver, but if it's demonstrably Æ, then it's probably what is erroneously called a "Limes Denarius" - these were high-quality copies made primarily in the Balkans and central Europe by making molds in clay using official coins. These are often found silvered - and often found with all traces of silver (if there ever was any) missing.

No one is quite sure where these fit into the monetary picture of the times, but they exist in great numbers - so great that they must have been in circulation.

Change those references to: RIC IV 13; RSC 77; SRCV 8315.

That would be for the prototype denarius from which it was copied. If it's Æ - and it seems awfully light for silver - then it's a contemporary copy made in the so-called "Limes Denarius" tradition.

Mark

1279 Edward 1st hammered silver half penny - inner circles both sides

Obv EDWARDVS ***

Rev LON/DON - London mint

1490 - 1500 Henry VII hammered silver half groat - two arches jewelled - no lis to 7 tressures, Tun mint mark

King and Archbishop Morton jointly - no stops

Obv hENRIC DI *** ANGL ZF

Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR - Canterbury mint

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross farthing

Rev/OND/ - Durham mint

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross penny

Rev VCD/NIC/O ** Moneyer Nicole of London mint

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross penny

Obv hENRICVS REX III

Stunning 14thC enamelled harness pendant

1702- 14 Queen Anne milled silver shilling

Exeter mint

1300- 1310 Edward 1st hammered silver penny - Class 10

Obv +EDWAR ANGLE DNS hYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR - Canterbury mint

1846 Victoria milled gold half sovereign

19.38mm, 4.02g

c10thC Stunning gilded and decorated Saxon brooch fragment

19thC - 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot button

The regiment started out as the 59th Regiment of Foot raised in Gloucester in 1755. After the disbandment of the 50th Regiment of Foot and the 51st Regiment of Foot in 1756, it became the 57th Regiment of Foot. In 1782, it was given a county connection, becoming the "57th (the West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot".

The 57th Regiment earned their nickname of "the Die Hards" after their participation in the Battle of Albuera, one of the bloodiest battles of the Peninsular War, fought on 16 May 1811

More 2016 finds pages

Previous 2016 Feb finds page

New 2016 March finds page II