More Treasure

This is what I tipped out of my finds bag yesterday after going out with my metal detector for the first time in many months. It looks like a heap of junk but there is an item of Treasure in there.  Now your idea of treasure and The Treasure Act's idea of treasure might differ slightly but, according to the act, the following item is treasure as it's made of precious metal (silver in this case) and over three hundred years old.

So what is it? I hear you ask. My preliminary research suggests that it's what is known as an aglet or lace tag. You can see it's pretty tiny and it would be squeezed onto the end of a lace to stop it fraying - just like those plastic ones on the end of today's shoelaces. As for the date, I think that the decoration suggests it was made in around 1600 but I am waiting for the official verdict as I've declared it to the authorities per the rules. My last "Treasure" find was claimed by the British Museum and is being bought by the Colchester museum. It's only a few pounds but I haven't waived my award this time as the farmer wants the proceeds to go to charity and I'm sure that £50 won't break Colchester Museum's bank. The farmer tells me that the last find was reported in the local Framlingham press the other week while we were away in Scotland but I haven't been able to find a copy of the report anywhere. If anyone in Framlingham reads this and saw the article I would love to hear from them and get a copy.

This is what the finds looked like when I'd sorted them out. Apart from the tag there are a few more interesting bits and pieces in there.

A lovely little button from c 1500-1600.

A strap end - possibly medieval.

A pot fragment made of bronze - possibly very old.

An interesting stud - not yet identified but hand made so pretty old.

And finally the detector users Holy Grail - a hammered silver coin. This one is Tudor and might be Queen Mary but it's in such a bad state that it's probably beyond identification.

Speaking of old things, Marion discovered yesterday that her name is on a newly announced list of endangered names and has almost died out. I know that sentence can be misread - you know that I'm talking about her name as an old thing not her. It's sad to see a lovely name disappearing. Maybe if our grandchildren ever have any daughters they might bring it back to life.