Rare, gold and agate money changer’s seal. Medieval period. Italy. Gothic. 14th century.

Rare, gold and agate money changer’s seal. Medieval period. Italy. Gothic. 14th century.
Large, mounted stone in the shape of an almond that depicts a money changer at work at a table covered with coins.
Inscription on the edge “+ SIG [ILLVM] TITVS BINI
CAMPS[ORIS]. IESI (Seal of Tito Bini, money changer in Iesi).
The profession of money changer appeared at the end of the 12th century. Their work became indispensable due to the quantity of different currencies in circulation. They worked at a bench or table in a shop which opened onto the street, like the artisans. Iesi, the town that appears in the inscription, is an Italian town located in Marche, which was at its zenith in the 14th century as the capital of an independent state.
It is in an excellent state of preservation, apart from two small imperfections in the carving work.