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Description: | "Report on a case of possible Treasure from Ainderby Steeple, North Yorkshire (2009 T717) This report concerns what appears to be a tremissis or pseudo-tremissis of the 7th century. The tremissis is a coin type widely issued by the Merovingian Franks in this period, but also produced by the Anglo-Saxons and Frisians. Such coins were produced in fairly good gold at the beginning of the century, but with the gold contained declining as the century progressed, with the gold increasingly replaced by silver. From its appearance, this one probably dates from somewhere fairly early in the century. This example is heavily worn and abraded, and could represent either a Merovingian coin or an imitation produced elsewhere. It has proved impossible to establish a clear design, although there are traces of what could either be a bust or a winged figure on one side, depending on whether a series of curved lines are identified as a wing or as hair - there are parallels for both on the coinage of the period. In addition to actual coins, this period also saw the production of pseudo-coins for use in coin-jewellery, as coin-jewellery appears to have been quite popular to judge from grave finds and a few stray finds. Because the design cannot be clearly recognised, it is not possible to state with complete certainty whether this is a genuine coin or a pseudo-coin. This is relevant because a single coin does not normally constitute Treasure, but a single object does. Pseudo-coins are known in good gold, but are more often plated, whereas this appears to be solid metal. There are also no indications of piercing or mounting which would suggest re-use. On that basis, while this object could in theory be considered as Treasure under the terms of the Treasure Act (1996) in terms of the key criteria of age and metal content, it is my recommendation that it should not be considered Treasure. Gareth Williams Curator of Early Medieval Coins The British Museum 10.6.11"
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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