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Bulla (Papal seal) Pope Innocent IV (1243-1254)

ex_libris

Full Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Messages
120
Location
Netherlands
A few years ago I found near the dutch city of Utrecht this lead seal. It was used on documents (bulls) from the Vatican. On the front there is the name of the pope:
INNO
CENTIVS
PP IIII

Innocent Papa Patria IV


On the other side there are 2 heads of Saint Paul and Saint Peter with the letters SPASPE (Sanctus Paulus Apostulus Sanctus Petrus Episcopus). The diameter is 38 mm or 1,5 inch.

Papal%20Bull%20dated%20June%208th%201216%20issued%20by%20Pope%20Innocent%20III%201160%20or%201161-1216.jpg


Pope Innocent IV sent several bulls to the catholic world:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_papal_bulls

Rob
 

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That's great! Hunting in Europe must be really exciting. In the US we can only go back 300 years or so in terms of historical finds (from a MDers perspective). There you can go back thousands of years potentially. Finding something like that from 800 years ago really must be humbling.
 
That's a lovely find Rob :clap:

I was lucky enough to find one back in 2002, one of the first really good finds I'd made. Mine was of Pope Gregory XI, and in pretty good condition. Being lead, they often suffer from plough damage.

Very often they were broken in half when the document they were attached to was opened. If they are found in a known burial, it is possible to trace the actual document which was sent. As copies were always kept

Value can vary, depending on age and condition. Usually up to a maximum of around £90 - £100.
I didn't keep mine, I gave it to the museum closest to where it was found.
 
I didn't keep mine, I gave it to the museum closest to where it was found.

Not to change the subject, but when you guys over there give items to museums, do they get displayed for the public to see or are they just locked away in a warehouse somewhere to never see the light of day again?
 
Not to change the subject, but when you guys over there give items to museums, do they get displayed for the public to see or are they just locked away in a warehouse somewhere to never see the light of day again?

That's exactly the expierience I´ve made a few years ago....:(
 
Not to change the subject, but when you guys over there give items to museums, do they get displayed for the public to see or are they just locked away in a warehouse somewhere to never see the light of day again?

That's often a matter of some debate.
I haven't been back to see if mine was displayed or not. Metal detecting finds do often go on display, it depends to a large extent, on the object itself, and how much room the museum has.

It's reckoned that many of the bigger museums only display around 10% of what they have.
 
Amazing find! Nothing that old out here in Hollister, the oldest item I have ever found was a Spanish Pike from the 1700's when California belonged to Spain and an 1800's Mexican Army Button.

museums usually do not display items unless they are of local or state significance out here. Mostly they gather items and preserve them.
 
Old and Cool, Congrats! Gotta be worth something.
 
Not to change the subject, but when you guys over there give items to museums, do they get displayed for the public to see or are they just locked away in a warehouse somewhere to never see the light of day again?

Finds like this will sadly end up in a box somewhere...

Rob
 
um... weren't you reading this and not
hearing it? i mean unless you see it which is totally cool...
dude its really nice find


_______
reps added
 
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