367-375 (production date of coin), late 4th century (body chain); minted in Trier; gold, garnet, amethyst and sulphur; 249.5 g
Body-chain with coin-set clasp. Four chains are joined so as to form an upper-body decoration passing over the shoulders and under the arms of the wearer, and crossing at the front and back. The chains are of complex loop-in-loop construction connected laterally to form a thick flat strap, rather than a round-sectioned chain. They terminate in three-dimensional lions' heads. The lions have large eyes, rounded ears and flat muzzles. A plain tubular collar behind each head contains the end of the chain, fixed in place by a rivet, and each lion has a small ring in its mouth that connects with further rings to link with the frontal plaque, and to gold hooks at the other end, which connect with the back plaque to form a clasp. The collars that enclose the ends of the chains are encircled at each end by a band of twisted, square-sectioned wire. The clasp at the back of the body chain takes the form of an octagonal open-backed mount set with a gold coin. A border in pierced gold features a foliate design of leafy spirals at the corners, meeting in the centre of each side over a heart-shaped leaf. This openwork border has been backed with sheet gold, so that it now appears simply as a design in relief on a solid background, and four ribbed rings are soldered to the backing in diagonal positions. The coin is a solidus of Gratian (AD 367-83). At the front of the body chain is a roughly oval gold setting for nine gems. It has a slightly concave solid back. The center oval cell contains a cabochon amethyst, and surrounding it four almond-shaped garnets (one damaged) alternate with four empty circular cells still containing some jems. These may have contained pearls. Inscription: VICTORIA AVGG
Gold denomination of Emperor Justinian, 6th century, pierced with two holes
527-565, found in Kalymnos, gold, 15 mm Inscriptions: Obverse: DNIVSTINI ANVSPPAUG Reverse: VICTORIA (A)VGVSTORVM CONOB
Coin of Justinian; gold; pierced with two holes; obverse, head of Justinian to right and inscription; reverse, Victory holding a wreath and globus crucifer, and inscription.
Gold uniface imitation of Byzantine gold coin.Three-quarter face bust of Anastasios or Justinian I. Minted/created in China: Xinjiang
6th c, Xinjiang, gold, 0.85 g, British Museum
Uniface imitation of Byzantine gold coin. (whole) Blank. (reverse) Three-quarter face bust of Justinian I. (obverse) Curator's comments Stein 1928, p.646: "The fact that out of the four coins actually found by us in the mouths of Astana corpses three are Byzantine gold pieces or imitations of such pieces (Ast.i.3.023; Ast.i.5.08; Ast.i.6.03) and one a Sasanian silver coin (Ast.v.2.02) might naturally predispose us to connect this practice with the ancient Greek custom of placing a coin between the lips of the dead as the fare to Charon, the ferryman of Hades. But the reference with which M. Chavannes kindly supplied me in 1916 to a Buddhist story in the Chinese Tripitaka suggests that the custom was not unknown in the Far East also. [fn4: See Chavannes, Cinq cents contes et apologues extraits du Tripitaka chinois, i, p.248] It must further be borne in mind that as China had never had a gold or silver coinage, those who at Turfan wished to provide their dead with an adequate obolus for the journey to the world beyond would necessarily have to use a coin of Western origin for their pious purpose, if they wished it to be of precious metal." Stein 1928, p.649: ""From the head of the other body, (b), which may have been that of a woman, was recovered the fragmentary face-cover of polychrome figured silk, Ast.i.6.01, showing 'Sasanian' pattern with a boar's head and pearl border, similar to Ast.i.5.03 (Pl.LXXVI), but smaller. Underneath was found the pair of silver spectacles, Ast.i.6.07 (Pl.LXXXIX). The mouth of (b) held a thin gold coin (Pl.CXX), struck on one side only, showing the three-quarter face bust of Justinian I, as it appears on the Byzantine coins of which this and the gold pieces from Ast.i.3 and Ast.i.5 are undoubtedly imitations. Two Wu-zhu [pinyin: wuzhu] coins, in perfect condition, were found near the head of (b)."
Gold imitation of a 5th-6th c. Byzantine solidus. Found in a burial, in Turfan, Astana, China
5th-6th centuries, found in Astana, gold, 0.59 g, British Museum
Gold coin; imitation of Byzantine coin. Curator's comments Stein 1928, p.648: "Tomb i.5, which lay nearest to i.1 in a southerly direction, was found to contain three bodies, lying with their heads to the south. The one next to the entrance, (a), was big, obviously of a man, while the one in the middle, (b), was small and probably that of a woman. ... From the mouth of (a) a thin gold coin (Pl.CXX) was recovered, derived like the one in Ast.i.3 from a type of Justinian I, but struck only on one side and manifestly a more distant imitation." Stein 1928, p.646: "The fact that out of the four coins actually found by us in the mouths of Astana corpses three are Byzantine gold pieces or imitations of such pieces (Ast.i.3.023; Ast.i.5.08; Ast.i.6.03) and one a Sasanian silver coin (Ast.v.2.02) might naturally predispose us to connect this practice with the ancient Greek custom of placing a coin between the lips of the dead as the fare to Charon, the ferryman of Hades. But the reference with which M. Chavannes kindly supplied me in 1916 to a Buddhist story in the Chinese Tripitaka suggests that the custom was not unknown in the Far East also. [fn4: See Chavannes, Cinq cents contes et apologues extraits du Tripitaka chinois, i, p.248] It must further be borne in mind that as China had never had a gold or silver coinage, those who at Turfan wished to provide their dead with an adequate obolus for the journey to the world beyond would necessarily have to use a coin of Western origin for their pious purpose, if they wished it to be of precious metal."
Silver imitation of a coin of Emperor Anastasios I, struck by Theodoric, King of the Ostrogoths.
493-498, Milan, silver, 0.88 g, British Museum
Silver coin. (whole) Diademed, draped profile bust, right, of Anastasius I, below ... (obverse) Monogram of Theodoric, cross above, star below. (reverse)
Gold Solidus of Emperor Anastasios, part of the Horndean Hoard, Hampshire, Britain
492-507, Constantinople, gold, 4.51 g, British Museum
Gold coin. (whole) Victory holding long cross. (reverse) Cuirassed bust facing with shield and spear over shoulder. (obverse) Inscriptions Obverse: DN ANASTA - SIVS PP AVG Reverse: VICTORI - AAVGGG I Mintmark: CONOB
491-518, excavated from Sutton Hoo, silver, 564 g, British Museum
Large shallow silver platter with a deep foot-ring set off-centre, made in one piece with the platter. The whole platter is virtually flat, with a flat raised rim and a slight lip. In the centre of the platter is a roundel, comprising a medallion holding a small bird with outstretched wings, set within an eight-pointed star formed by two crossed squares. Between the points of the star are fleur-de-lys motifs. Outside this is a circular band of running spirals. This design is contained within a larger eight-pointed star also formed by two crossed squares, filled with frond, palmette and fleur-de-lys ornament. The frames of the squares contain a running spiral design. Between the points of this star are foliate fleur-de-lys, scroll and leaf motifs. The entire roundel is contained within a plain circular border. Between the roundel and the rim is a ring of engraved ornament, divided into four segments by four evenly spaced medallions, with each segment containing a different foliate and geometric design. Two of the medallions depict a seated female figure, holding an orb and a spear; the other two medallions depict running female figures carrying different objects before them. The rim is similarly decorated with engraved ornament, divided into four segments by four small, evenly spaced, medallions, with each segment also containing a different foliate and geometric design. The medallions depict running figures carrying objects before them. A large area in the middle of the platter is undecorated, and shows signs of wear and cracking, as does the rim. There are four control stamps of Emperor Anastasius I on the back of the platter, within the foot-ring. Two different control stamps were used twice each: one hexagonal, and one oblong in shape. Inscription
Copper alloy medallion, created under Emperor Constantine I, in celebration of the new imperial capital Constantinople
340-347, copper alloy, 38.26 g, British Museum
Copper alloy medallion. (whole) Bust of Constantinopolis, helmeted, left, with sceptre on left shoulder. (obverse) Constantinopolis, turreted and seated left on stool, holding branch and cornucopia; she is crowned by Victory standing facing, head left, holding wreath and palm. (reverse)
Gold solidus of Emperor Arcadius, mint of Constantinople
383-408, Constantinople, gold, 4.45 g, British Museum
Gold coin. (whole) Constantinopolis seated, right, holding sceptre and Victory. (reverse) Helmeted and diademed bust of Arcadius, facing, cuirassed and holding spear and shield. (obverse)
Gold solidus of Galla Placidia, mint of Rome
421-450, Ravenna, gold, 4.47 g, British Museum
Diademed, draped (with Christogram on shoulder) and cuirassed bust of Galla Placidia, right, crowned by manus Dei (obverse). Victory, right, holding long jewelled cross. (reverse) Inscriptions Obverse: D N GALLA PLACIDIA P F AVG Reverse: VOT XX MVLT XXX Reverse field and exergue: R V // COMOB