Gift of John Gray.

Slightly oval bronze cap, or finial, with inlaid silver design. The open end is oval shaped; the closed end is rounded at the edges and smooth. There is a raised band about one third of the way up from the open end. Almost the entire outer surface, starting 0.4 cm from the edge, is decorated with feathery scrolls and griffins surrounded by scrollwork. The bronze is covered in a dark green patination, except for a few spots that are dark brown. Just above the raised band is a pierced hole, and spaced above the hole are two round dents.

Byzantine coin of Justin II, 565-578. Obverse: Justin II, on left, and Sophia, on right, both enthroned; Justin II holds a globus cruciger; Sophia holds a cruciform sceptre; both rulers have haloes; to left, inscription says ‘DNIVSTI’; to right, it is illegible. Reverse: large ‘M’; to left, ‘ANNO’ in a vertical position; to right, ‘I’; above, cross; beneath, ‘E’; in exergue, ‘C[ON]’.

Byzantine coin of Justin II, 565-578. Obverse: Justin II, on left, and Sophia, on right, both enthroned, with a cross between their heads; Justin II holds a globus cruciger; Sophia holds a cruciform sceptre; both rulers have haloes; to left, inscription says ‘DNIVST’; to right, it is illegible. Reverse: large ‘M’; to left, ‘ANNO’ in a vertical position; to right, ‘X’; above, cross; beneath, ‘A’; in exergue, ‘KYZ’.

Byzantine coin of Justin II, 565-578. Obverse: Justin II, on left, and Sophia, on right, both enthroned; Justin II holds a globus cruciger; Sophia holds a cruciform sceptre; both rulers have haloes; to left, inscription is difficult to make out due to its small size, but it most likely says ‘DNIVST’; to right, it is illegible. Reverse: large ‘M’; to left, ‘ANNO’ in a vertical position; to right, ‘X’; above, cross; beneath, ‘A’; in exergue, ‘NIKO’.

Byzantine coin of Justin II, 565-578. Obverse: Justin II, on left, and Sophia, on right, both enthroned; Justin II holds a globus cruciger; Sophia holds a cruciform sceptre; both rulers have haloes; to left, inscription says ‘DNIVSTI’; to right, ‘NVSPPAVC’. Reverse: large ‘M’; to left, ‘ANNO’ in a vertical position; to right, ‘X’; above, cross; beneath, ‘A’; in exergue, ‘NIKO’.

Byzantine coin of Justin II, 565-578. Obverse: Justin II, on left, and Sophia, on right, both enthroned; Justin II holds a globus cruciger; Sophia holds a cruciform sceptre; both rulers have haloes; to left, inscription says ‘DNIVSTI’; to right, ‘NVSPP’. Reverse: large ‘M’; to left, ‘ANNO’ in a vertical position; to right, ‘XI’ in a vertical position; above, cross; beneath, ‘A’; in exergue, ‘NIKO’.

Byzantine coin of Justin II, 565-578. Obverse: Justin II, on left, and Sophia, on right, both enthroned; Justin II holds a globus cruciger; Sophia holds a cruciform sceptre; both rulers have haloes; to left, inscription says ‘DNIVSTI’; to right, ‘NVSPP’. Reverse: large ‘M’; to left, ‘ANNO’ in a vertical position; to right, ‘XI’ in a vertical position; above, cross; beneath, ‘A’; in exergue, ‘NIKO’.

Byzantine coin of Justin II, 565-578. Obverse: Justin II, on left, and Sophia, on right, both enthroned; Justin II holds a globus cruciger; Sophia holds a cruciform sceptre; both rulers have haloes; to left, inscription says ‘DNIVSTI’; to right, ‘NVSPP’. Reverse: large ‘M’; to left, ‘ANNO’ in a vertical position; to right, ‘Ϥ’; above, cross; beneath, ‘A’; in exergue, ‘NIKO’.

Byzantine coin of Justin II, 565-578. Obverse: Justin II, on left, and Sophia, on right, both enthroned; Justin II holds a globus cruciger; Sophia holds a cruciform sceptre; both rulers have haloes; to left, inscription says ‘DNIVST’; to right, ‘NVSPPAVC’. Reverse: large ‘M’; to left, ‘ANNO’ in a vertical position; to right, ‘Ϥ’ or ‘Ϛ’; above, cross; beneath, ‘A’; in exergue, ‘NIKO’.