not a medal or a coin ?

[bob]

This strange object was found on a mullock heap at Heathcote, Vic. It's pressed from thin metal most likely copper. There is only one loop upper left quarter. When I found it, it had four loops evenly spaced around to attach it to something (possibly). The letters stamped in it are IMP CAES VE SPASIAN AVG COS III. Google translator says the words are Galician which is a language of Spanish origin but the translation doesn't make too much sense. It is about the size of a fifty cent piece. A good puzzle for the relic hunters perhaps ? Feel free to take up the challenge if you wish.


Cheers Bob.

 

[Ditherer and Son]

I'd say its a medallion made to look like a coin from the time of roman emperor Vespasian 69-79AD.

It's in too good a condition and the edges are too crisp for it to be genuine, plus the broken off loops on the edges indicates it's probably a replica.

I found this photo of the original coin on coinarchives.com

 

[bob]

Thank you for your response and research. I am thinking it's way too thin just to be a replica and there is no reverse side. Also it is very fragile as I broke two of the loops trying to straighten them. The third one broke while I was cleaning it. My thinking is that the small loops were used to tack it to something and that it's more likely a plaque to decorate a box or something and what ever it was attached to has just rotted away. It was an exciting time in the initial discovery but once some of the dirt was removed it was clear that this was more of an interesting find rather than a valuable one.
Thank for your input Bob.