Looped gold solidus of Heraclius (610-614)

Perhaps, however, the most interesting part of the remains were the four gold coins, or rather medals, for the gold hoops for suspension were portions of the original substance of the metal. They were in size rather larger than a shilling, of very pure gold. They were inscribed round the borders, the impression on one side being a somewhat rudely sculptured head with a cap or helmet, and on the reverse a sort of double cross with a ball or globe. These coins, with the relic [inlaid pendant] described above, doubtless formed a necklace, and with the bulla [inlaid pendant] as the centre-piece, and the two gold medals on either side, must have constituted an ornament alike costly and magnificent in the eyes of the followers and subjects of the chief who bore it. I attribute these medals to a Frankish origin, for they appeared to me, in the very brief inspection I had of them, very similar to the examples found in the Sibertswold grave which are given by Mr. C.R. Smith in the 'Inventorium Sepulchrale' [Faussett 1856], No. 172, and ascribed by him to the Merovingian series, but a friend well skilled in numismatic lore, and to whom I sent a somewhat imperfect wax impression, owing to injury in transmission, has given his opinion that they are coins of Mauricius, who, fist a notary born in Cappadocia, became afterwards a general, and A.D. 582 was raised to the Roman empire.Four coins as pendants – 2 with heads of emp. Mauricius, 1 with head of Heraclius, and one with head of Chlotaire II.The British Museum - Merlin Collections Database, Feb 2006: \Gold coin pendant with suspension loop; solidus of Heraclius (610-641 AD). Diameter 2.00cm.\" – B.B."