Coins and Historical Medals

France, Merovingian, pseudo-Imperial Tremissis, c. 540-580, uncertain mint (probably Burgundy), pearl-diademed bust right wearing panelled and decorated tunic, rev. winged Victory walking left, cross before, x in field behind, blundered legends both sides, 1.26g/4h (EMC 2020.0285; cf. Belfort 5414-15 for rev.). Very fine with a portrait of unusually refined style for the type, extremely rare £1,200-£1,500

Provenance: Found at Cherwell (Oxfordshire), August 2020.

An odd combination of a refined Romanised bust paired with a crude and degraded figure of Victory. The cross Victory is carrying has become a detached field ornament, while the garland has degenerated to no more than an x behind the wing. The legends are very blundered but are probably based on a victoria avgvstorvm type of Justinian I