Rights Holder: Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service
CC License:
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Unique ID: ESS-2EDCE5
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Medieval brooch made from an English copper-alloy jetton of 13th - 14th century in date.
There is a central copper-alloy rivet attaching a length of copper-alloy plate to the back (the obverse of the jetton) which has been recurved at either end, most likely for use as a hooked tag or decorative brooch.
The jetton's obverse is hard to discern given that the attachment covers much of the face. There is some indication that a crown is present however, and so a crowned bust facing within a border of pellets is the most likely suggestion.
The reverse is a cross Moline with a quatrefoil in each angle inside a dotted border.
Dimensions: weight: 0.8g, diameter: 17.6mm, thickness of jetton: 0.8mm, thickness inc. hook: 3.7mm
Notes:
This reworked jetton fits with the well known tradition of converting coins into jewellery in the 13th and 14th centuries. This technique was often applied to silver pennies and groats of Edward I, gros tournois of the French kings of the period and of similar coins of neighbouring rulers in the Low Countries. Many of these silver coins were gilded. A common feature of coin-jewellery of this period is the use of the reverse element - a large cross- as the front-piece. This has been applied to this jetton, which is presumably a cheaper version of the silver coin-jewellery.
Evidence of reuse: Sheet of copper-alloy riveted to rear to form hook
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1200
Date to: Circa AD 1400
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 3.7 mm
Weight: 0.8 g
Diameter: 17.6 mm
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Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Complete
4 Figure: SY6487
Four figure Latitude: 50.68153551
Four figure longitude: -2.5109119
1:25K map: SY6487
1:10K map: SY67NW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.