LIN-A4A5A5: Early medieval lead coin?

Rights Holder: Lincolnshire County Council
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COIN

Unique ID: LIN-A4A5A5

Object type certainty: Possibly
Workflow status: Published Find published

A broken lead disc with decoration on both sides. The disc measures 18mm in diameter and is as thin as a silver hammered coin; much thinner than the range of post-medieval tokens.

One side appears to have a star or cross in the centre, with lines extending from the angles to form triple stranded terminals. Between each line is a worn crescent motif. The other side is worn but also contains decoration.

Its size, thinness and decoration somewhat recall the portrait type coins of Offa. However, it may alternatively be an earlier 7th-century forgery based on either Merovingian or Anglo-Saxon prototypes- a find made in the 1980s 'near Louth', Lincolnshire (see EMC 1987.0034) is of similar design and proportions, and was assigned to this earlier period.

It is possible that this is a contemporary copy or trial piece.

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 600
Date to: Circa AD 900

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Thickness: 0.5 mm
Weight: 0.67 g
Diameter: 18 mm

Personal details

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Materials and construction

Primary material: Lead
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Incomplete

Coin data (numismatics)

Denomination: Tremissis
Ruler/issuer: Anonymous (Tremissis)
Category: Coin of Merovingian Francia

Obverse description: Central cross with wedges in each angle.
Obverse inscription: illegible
Reverse description: illegible
Reverse inscription: illegible

Coin references

No coin references available.

Spatial metadata

Region: East Midlands (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Lincolnshire (County)
District: East Lindsey (District)
To be known as: East Lindsey

Spatial coordinates


Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
General landuse: Cultivated land

References cited

No references cited so far.

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Timeline of associated dates

Audit data

Recording Institution: LIN
Created: 10 years ago
Updated: 10 years ago

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