POST MEDIEVAL UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT

1625

A lead alloy disc, 45mm in diameter and 1mm thick, with a crude depiction of a Charles I shilling or halfcrown etched into each face. One edge is folded over slightly, obscuring some detail.One face has an oval shield very similar to that of a Halfcrown in Spink # 2776, with a harp in the lower left quarter and the upper left and lower right quarters being split into four. The oval shield is within a circular border, outside which are the letters BRI.The opposite face depicts a very crude flat topped shield split into four quarters, within a circular border and a beaded border around that. Outside the beaded border are the letters CR [ ]N [ ]R [ ]H VE [ ] Possibly crudely representing the reverse of a Charles I (1625 - 1649) or Charles II (1660 - 1685) shilling.The purpose of this object is unclear. The etching is too crude to be an attempt at coin forgery. One possibility is that this is a gaming counter, using the revers eof known contemporary coins to distinguish the pieces on the board. The weight is far too heavy to be a homemade weight.Edweard Besly of the Musuem of Wales has commented on this record, noting that it would not have a monetary function, and counter is a much more likely use.