The two-part bronze seal dates from 1322 and was used on documents to mark the king’s authority. Photograph: DCMS/PA
From Mark Brown at The Guardian / 03.22.2016:
A 700-year-old bronze seal commissioned by Robert the Bruce has been prevented from leaving the UK because of its importance to Scottish history.
UK culture minister Ed Vaizey called the seal “irreplaceable” and placed a temporary export bar on it in the hope a buyer can be found to keep it in the country.
They will need to match the asking price of £151,250 after the seal was sold at auction to a foreign buyer last December.
Vaizey said: “This amazing artefact represents one of the few objects directly associated with Robert the Bruce’s reign. Its departure would not only result in the loss of this irreplaceable item, but it would also strip us of the opportunity to learn more about this exceptional figure.”