A metal detectorist who found a bronze fob dating back to 1320AD has donated it to a museum.
Tyndall Jones, from Littlehampton, took the item to a finds session at Littlehampton Museum.
Finds officer Liz Wilson then sent it to the British Museum for analysis.
It was identified as a copper-alloy seal matrix with a conical handle which would have been cast and then engraved to a high standard.
It features the image of a curled-up lion.
Above that is a male bust facing right with curly hair in the Classical style.
It was used to seal important documents and was later replaced by the signature used by most people today.
A museum spokesman said: "They couldn't identify whose family it belonged to but it was attributed to one maker who is likely to have been making all the seals in the area."
The seal was dated according to the style of the man's hair and the shape of the handle.
It will be on permanent display in the medieval gallery case at Littlehampton Museum from Tuesday.
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