ROMAN COINS FOUND AT LITTLE CHESTER. 131 



several good Roman antiquaries, who look upon them as unique. 

 Can any of our readers furnish an explanation, or offer any 

 probable conjecture ? " — This query appeared in the January issue 

 of the Antiquary, and has already brought forth the following 

 reply from Mr. Charles T. Phillips, the hon. secretary of the Sussex 

 Archaeological Society, who writes : — 



"In this month's issue of Antiquary is a Note of three circlets 

 of lead found in a garden at Little Chester, near Derby, with 

 coins, bits of pottery, and other small relics, close to the remains 

 of the Roman wall, and explanation or probable conjecture, from 

 any reader, is asked for. My suggestions must be taken as wholly 

 conjectural. Could they have been Bale Marks, such as in 

 medieval and more recent times were used by traders and 

 merchants for identification, or warranty, of their goods, and of 

 which we have a few in our museum, stamped with letters or 

 trade marks ? 



" Or are they seals, stamped with marks, and not letters (and, 

 as I presume from the engravings given, on one side only), some- 

 what similar to those in the York Museum, and described thus in 

 the Handbook, page 104 (Roman Relics) : — ' Case J. F. Seven 

 lead seals, found at Brough, in Westmoreland, six of which were 

 given by the Rev. Dr. Simpson, of Kirkby Stephen, in 1880. 

 Very large quantities of them have been found there. They are 

 stamped on both sides with letters, and are supposed to have been 

 given to recraits.' ? 



" Though found with Roman relics, it is just possible they are 

 of later date. 



" Could they be ' Dumps ' ? though whether the noble Roman 

 youths indulged in such an ignoble game, I must leave to the 

 mature judgment of better archaeologists than I can ever 

 aspire to be. 



" Or can they be counters for games, like our Draughts or 

 Backgammon ? " 



