File:KENT-17F512, Post Medieval finger ring (FindID 455917).jpg

English: A Post Medieval gold finger ring. The gold band is sub-circular with a D shaped cross section. The slightly narrowed shoulders are decorated with foliate designs. The prominent oval bezel has triangular decoration around the rim which holds a faceted piece of clear glass. Through the glass can be seen an intricate monogram in gold lettering. The inside of the band is inscribed with the legend "when this you see remember me" all in cursive lower case lettering.

Date: Post-Medieval; 17^th - 18^th Century

The ring has an internal diameter of 15.9mm, the bezel is 11.6mm long, 11.4mm wide and 5.4mm thick. The ring weighs 3.09 grams.

Discussion: The British Museum collections holds examples of this style of ring; also see Dalton, 1912, pp 217 - 220. Joan Evans records a similar inscription in a 1596 manuscript and again in a publication of 1674 but a variant of the inscription also occurs on a ring in the British Museum collections dated 17^th -18^th Century (1961.1202,442)

This is a late 17^th Century type which does continue into the early 18^th Century. On the balance of probabilities, in this instance this finger-ring is likely to pre-date 1711, though it cannot be attributed to any particular date or country of origin. It as such it qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.

Jennifer Jackson Caroline Barton

Finds Liaison Officer The British Museum