Dutch Customs Loop Seal, Stars, 6, Image by StuE, Found by Allsopp.
Found in the Staffs area.
The rivet displays a portion of the crowned Dutch shield bearing the rampant lion of Holland. The other side has the number 6 and unusually three 6 pointed stars.
A Dutch customs seal of the type with long strip of lead (100mm) joining both lobes forming a loop (See other Dutch Customs Looped seals).
See PAS LON-8FDA34 "Lead-alloy seal for attachment to a cow's ear. One side has illegible lettering and possibly '78'; other side has a rampant animal with staff/sword all below crown. These seals attached to the ears of live animals imported from the Netherlands from c. 1814 on, probably into the 20th century (Geoff Egan, pers comm)."
From Jan van Oostveen, "It was only used for the tail and not for the ear. ... from authentic documentation from the mid-19th century where it is mentioned how these seals were used. [Scheffer, D.H., 1909. De Geslachtswet. Amsterdam.]" See Oostveen, J. van, 2019, Tax seals used in The Netherlands as proof that 'accijns op het geslacht' was paid.
See Metal detecting and identification in the Netherlands and Belgium, "Excise seals with 'stars (sterren)' or meat-excise seals
Type STERREN-999
Stars with below the excise number and below that blank or 'ACC', 'AG'. This seal may have been used for a specific excise duty. On basis of the stars this difference was made known. Maybe they were used for excise duty on the slaughtered (meat-seals below) because stars were also used there to distinguish them.
Dimensions: about 22mm
Front: '***' / '999' / 'ACC'
Reverse: national coat of arms"
