Dec 8, 2009
Dec 8, 2009

Witmen Tremissis: Bust and Trident (obverse); Cross Fourchée (reverse)

Witmen Tremissis: Bust and Trident (obverse); Cross Fourchée (reverse)

early 600s

Part of a set. See all set records

Gold

Diameter: 1.1 cm (7/16 in.)

Weight: 1.247 g (0.04 oz.)

The Norweb Collection 1969.159

Location

Did you know?

The tremissis was a small solid gold coin of late antiquity and was a third of a solidus.

Description

The Crondall Hoard is a hoard of coins that was found in 1828 in the village of Crondall in the English county of Hampshire. It is believed to date to the seventh century and was studied by Dr. Carol Humphrey Vivian Sutherland (1908-1986), an English numismatist. He characterized this coin as being a close copy of the Witmen prototype, the most common type found in the hoard. Witmen, or his design, featuring a bust on one side and a cross on the other, seems to have been very popular and remained popular for many years. During this time however the portraits grew cruder and cruder, the legends became even more blundered, and the gold content fell lower and lower.

See also
Collection: 
MED - Numismatics
Department: 
Medieval Art
Type of artwork: 
Coins
Medium: 
Gold
Credit line: 
The Norweb Collection

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