MEDIEVAL TOKEN

1200

A fragmentary and miscast lead alloy probable token of probable Medieval date, with the casting flange and gate also surviving, though in two pieces.Only about a third of the token survives. It is flat and would have been circular when complete. It seems likely that it was mis cast and the rest of it was never formed. The token has a uniface design with a legend round the edge and a beaded border. Sadly, the motif and legend are no longer legible, though some letters can be picked out: a chevron barred A, a retrograde R and C, an O and an S.The large size of the token (probably originally more than 36mm in diameter) may suggest that it was a Boy Bishop token. Alternatively, it could have been a toy plate or other miniature object, or even a large button.The casting waste consists of a solidified oval well or gate with a cone of metal descending from it. At the base, the cone divides into two curved channels which lead into the mould. The channels appear to have fed into the centre of the mould, and there is a flange at right angles to the casting sprue where the metal spread out into the mould. It is likely that the surviving piece of token has broken from this flange. The two curved channels could have been to deliberately cast a loop if the object was intended to be a button. The flange projects further to one side of the casting jet than the other. The longer projection has a fresh break across it; one the other side the edge is rounded and patinated.The side of the cone and curved channels also has a casting flange, perhaps suggesting the two parts forming the neck of the mould were not closely joined.This style of mould differs from those illustrated in Fletcher (2005) used for making tokens, where several tokens were cast in each mould, each chamber being fed from a central channel which fed into the side of the chamber, not the centre of the reverse.The lead has a smooth yellow grey patina.