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Description: | British Museum Curatorial Report:Silver gilt nummular broochDate: 12th centuryDescription: A medieval silver coin which has been adapted for use as a brooch.The coin is a silver pfennig of Friedrich I, Archbishop of Cologne (1100-1131), reference: Hävernick, Die Mūnzen von Köln, no. 456 (identified by BJC from images, so subject to confirmation). The coin legends are mostly illegible, although the O of COLONIA (Cologne) is visible on one side. This side shows a cathedral façade and it is this side that was designed to be seen after conversion into a brooch. On the other face is a forward facing bishop holding a crozier on his right. The pfennigs of Cologne were regarded internationally as a good coinage, comparable to English pennies in their silver content. A fineness of over 80% good silver can legitimately be assumed, prior to the addition of gilding.The coin has been adapted by attaching two strips of silver sheet onto the bishop side of the coin. One forms a loop and may have allowed the coin to be worn as a pendant. The other is squashed but probably formed a catchplate. With the building side correctly orientated, the loop is at 12 o'clock, the catchplate at 4o'clock and an area of damage at 8 and 9 o'clock may indicate where a third attachment was situated; presumably a pin lug. The front of the brooch has been gilded, and there are some traces of gilding on the reverse too.Discussion:There are two main groups of coin-jewellery from medieval England. The later group dates to the decades around 1300, with larger denomination late-medieval silver coins utilised. However, there are also late Anglo-Saxon and Norman silver pennies which are reused as brooches. IOW-67AA47 is one example. At this time the penny or pfennig was the only coin in regular production and use in most of Europe. The heyday of this group of brooches was the second half of the 11th century, but examples extend into the early 12th century, the apparent date of this example. This conversion was almost certainly made in England, since the form matches the English coin-brooches of this period and the phenomenon is essentially an English one anyway. However, this would probably be the first recorded case of foreign coin treated in this way in England, and the choice of the cathedral side for display is an interesting one.Individual coins are not eligible to be considered as Treasure, but coins obviously converted into jewellery can be so considered. This object is a coin of good silver that has, though the addition of mounting and gilding, been turned into a decorative item. Furthermore, it is not a coin that would normally be usable in England. In our opinion, therefore, this brooch qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.Dimensions: Weight: 1.63 grams Overall size: 18.85mm (diameter), 3.35mm (thickness)Amy DownesFinds Liaison Officer (South and West Yorkshire)22nd December 2010Dr Barrie J. CookCurator of Medieval and Early Modern CoinageDepartment of Coins and Medals, British Museum6 January 2011
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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