Cloth Seal Die / Matrix, Southampton

Cloth Seal Die / Matrix, Southampton, Images & Found by Giles Spencer on 8th October 2015.
Found at Ditcham, East Hampshire, SU 75 18 (full 10 fig. grid reference known), 17.5mm wide, 15mm total depth, 12mm holder depth, 3mm die depth, 26.02g.

A copper alloy die showing a crown above a sun, a fleur de lis and a rose; S H to sides. A Lombardic inscription around - S'VLNAG'PANNOR'IN COM'SUTH'T'.

This matrix was clearly attached to a (wooden?) insert. Egan (P.38 of his PhD thesis) dates seals with a crown above a sun, a fleur de lis and a rose to the late 15th century

The Latin abbreviation translates to Seal of Ulnage for Cloth in the County of Southampton. The S H to sides could simply be for the city of Southampton. No actual cloth seal has so far been discovered with this design on it.

This is a very rare and important find.