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Elizabethan cloth seal

Contributed by Museum of London

London lead cloth seal, 1552

The only known London cloth seal with this date on it.In the centre of this lead seal are the arms of the City of London (a cross and a sword). Around the edge is an inscription: "LOND[INI PRO] PANNIS LANICIS 1552", meaning 'for woollen cloths at London'. Lead cloth seals were attached to bales of cloth at various stages of its production and by Crown officials called 'alnagers', who assessed whether the quality was good enough and whether tax had been paid. This 'alnage' seal is from London. In the 16th century, cloth underpinned the national economy and London controlled the export trade. The country's wool was appreciated for its warmth and quality and was traded for manufactured goods. The English even tried to offer woollen cloth to India in exchange for gemstones, spices and other exotic goods. In the mid-16th Century, cloth accounted for 90% of all exports and London controlled approximately 75-80% share of that trade.

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