Gold, 4.94 grams, 27.32 mm dia, 33.46 mm overall. 6th century AD. Bracteates are a Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon form of ‘symbolic money’ used in the prestige-exchange culture of early medieval northern Europe. Anglo-Saxon bracteates are generally found in high-status female graves, while Scandinavian examples are more widely distributed. The present example is a probably a D-series bracteate with single-animal motif, similar to the deposit-find at Øvre Tøyen, Høland, Akershus, Denmark. The surrounding gold ropework border has granular detailing in single, three-cluster and four-cluster configurations. The suspension loop is ribbed, 5.06 mm internal diameter. Reference: Franceschi, G., Asger, J. & Magnus, B. Mennesaker, Guder og Masker i Nordisk Jernalderkunst Bind1, Silkeborg, 2005, fig.134. Very fine condition. Ex old English collection. This item is accompanied by a XRF ancient metal test certificate from Oxford X-ray Fluorescence Ltd.