The Thames...tuesday...

[roastedtoe]

Hey Lads

I trust all are well? I've been up in the highlands with an old friend for a while getting drunk (and not doing a lot of fishing or hiking...)...so first time I've been out on the river for a couple of weeks.

Had a nice run. Usual bag of smash and odds and sods...pick of it was an 1864 sixpence and I've also got a mystery iteam.



Not sure what it is. At first I thought a button or a kind of lead token...but then I noticed it's a face on one side in profile that looks distinctly saxon (not saying this is saxon!) but defies all attempts to get it to come out in a photograph. Anyway, the general style of the artefact should be distinctive enough for an ID if anyone's ever seen the like before?!





Can't even tell you what the material is. Pewter maybe? Weighs 3.5grams.

Cheers!

[moparado]

Man that river is just full of good stuff.
That top coin looks to be silver.
If so, silver is always good in my book...the poor man's 'gold'!

Don't have a clue about Saxons, hammer'ds and such!

[Iron Mask]

No idea what it could be. Sure someone will figure it out.
Maybe pop it up on UKDFD.
Thanks for the pics.

[stewart73]

Looks like some kind of sceat...maybe a nummular brooch? I actually have no idea, just throwing big words out there.

[Steve_T]

Very nice great photo's.....

[shep]

Looks like some kind of sceat...maybe a nummular brooch? I actually have no idea, just throwing big words out there.

I think it's a button

[Tombs]

shep could be right but it also looks like one of those kids toys that you put 2 strings through then wind them up and pull the strings the button thing spins like mad some times they whistle or are painted bright colors.........ok that has to be the worst description ever sorry

[omegamike]

Hmmm.... looks like it has two holes in it? they appear to go straight through.... could very well be something as simple as a button?

[swissrolly]

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Dancing-Button

[Tombs]

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Dancing-Button

thats what i was talking about! well done mate

[Captainpugwash]

Good skills Mudlark, sorry cant help with the ID.

[roastedtoe]

thanks for all the suggestions lads! Still not sure what it is. Although it has a cross on one side and seems to be a design on the other so that's why I'm not sure about a button...at least not originally. But I really have no idea on it and I appreciate the ideas! .

Thanks!

[Davidhod]

Nice finds, tombs is right, it's a whizzer, string it through both holes, twist the string, pulll, release a bit to let the momentum twist the string, pull again. It will make a whistling or moaning noise when it hits the right speed.

[Tombs]

thanks for all the suggestions lads! Still not sure what it is. Although it has a cross on one side and seems to be a design on the other so that's why I'm not sure about a button...at least not originally. But I really have no idea on it and I appreciate the ideas! .

Thanks!

put a string through it and see if it works!

[ironhearted_gog]

Tombs has it right, a whirligig.

[roastedtoe]

Cool. These things are like, from the um, iron age right?

Off to the river today (with all the rain last few days it will be a swollen old stream)...see what else I can dig out...

Thanks!