Unusual coin seated lion holding a key

[dancollect]

My dad was an avid treasure hunter and coin collector. I inherited his collection of coins 12 years ago. He found and purchased many coins over the years and did a wonderful job of identifying and grading most. After 12 years I still have quite a few left to identify. This is one of the many unusual coins I have to identify. Does anybody have any information on what it might be?

 

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[Mackaydon]

Can we see a pic of the reverse?

 

[dancollect]

It's there to the right of the obverse (large, wide picture)

 

[Mackaydon]

Dan:
My oversight; many thanks.
Wish I could help with the ID. The letters almost look 'backwards' on the obverse.
Don....

 

[dancollect]

Don ... Thanks for looking. It has me stumped as well. Dan

 

[Gypsy Heart]

I dont know what it is ....but I do know that a Lion holding a key is a very old symbol of the Bank of England

 

[djui5]

It's a map to the Lue treasure

 

[Siegfried Schlagrule]

most likely it is a seal. take some clay or flour dough and make an imprint and see if it makes sense. Could also just stand in front of a mirror and read it too. exanimo, siegfried schlagrule

 

[djui5]

Not sure about that. Just looks like an old coin to me

 

[PBK]

Not sure about that. Just looks like an old coin to me

I agree.

If it were a seal die, the main designs would be incuse (below the surface), so that they would be raised on the wax seal. Also, if it were a double-sided seal, it would almost certainly be thicker, and there would be some evidence on the edge of where it pivoted in a fob or similar holder.

A couple of people have mentioned that the letters appear reversed, as on a seal. There are also some fraternal and occult items with reversed lettering. But again, I don't think that's the case. However, just for the heck of it, here it is with the lettering reversed:

 

[Gypsy Heart]

i think thats it PBK Says Gibralter on the bottom

 

[Mackaydon]

Following up with the reverse image idea, the letters behind the lion's tail spell out 'SON'. The mark before the S could be the mark "&".
Don.