Forged iron, about 7/8” (0.84”) length. Comprising a shield shaped face plate with expanded terminal back plate. The loop engaging a link of mail. It appears that this is a mount for a leather strap which connects it to the mail and facilitated closure of the coat. The front and back plates are about 1/8” apart, the thickness of the leather strap, and there remains a connecting rivet. The face of the plate. The front face is quite crisp with some figuring, distinctly not rust patterning, but unidentifiable other than that. Evidently decoration and perhaps originally niello inlaid.
