Framed and looped gold solidus

Looped gold light-weight solidus of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine. Wgt. 4.49 grammes.Obv. AD NNSHERA rest obliterated. Full face busts of Heraclius on l. with short beard and convex crown, cross a top brooch on shoulder; small Her.Const. on r. with convex crown cross on top [circ. ornament in front], cross in field above head. Each wear paludamentum clasped by circular fibula on r. shoulder. Rev. VICTORIA AYSYT. In exergue [BO]XX. Cross potent on three steps.Good yellow gold, but fantastically badly worn, and legends and figures partially obliterated. It has been mounted in a frame consisting of a beaded wire, then a pair of wires twisted together then a single wire no doubt once beaded, but the rim also is heavily worn. Loop of gold strip corrugated on outside, soldered to slip over the rim.The filigree border looks slightly paler than the coin, and the loop is noticeably very pale indeed. The loop is heavily worn and cut into at top sides by wear from thread of necklace. Cited by Howard L. Adelson, 'Light Weight Soildi and Byzantine Trade During the 6th and 7th Centuries', Numis. Notes & Monographs 138 (1957). For coin cf. P. Grierson, 'Soldi of Phocas and Heraclius', Numis. Chron. 6th ser., XIX (1959), 131ff. This coin belongs to his Class II, Her. with short beard, 613-629, and to sub-type in group with convex crown and globus cruciger, pl. XIV, 1-8, c. 616 onwards. As Her. Const. is shown v. small it is probably early in the series.Meas. dens. gm/cc 16.1 TotalExp. dens.