For this reason, many people see the key as a symbol for wisdom, knowledge, hidden and guarded secrets or even protection. Two of Goodall’s Winchester types are early-medieval in date, types 1 and 2, defined as having L-section bits. Type 1 has a projecting stem-tip, and is by far the commoner type among the iron keys at Winchester. Type 2 has a hollow tip to the stem, and is much commoner among the copper-alloy keys in the PAS assemblage. There is an explanation of how type 1 and 2 keys work in Biddle 1990, 1016-19. Note that a lot of keys are made from magnetic ferrous metals prone to rust, so just because it’s rusty doesn’t necessarily mean it is old or an antique!

Crummy (1983, 84) suggests that type 5b (with ‘flat wards’) may be early Roman, whereas type 5a may be 3rd or 4th century in date. A key which has a small simple L-shaped bit (instead of the substantial toothed bit) is more likely to be early-medieval, such as IOW-A346E4 (illustrated below). Early-medieval keys Early and middle early-medieval keys I hope this guide to the different types of vintage and antique keys is useful for you in identifying old keys and their value. If you’ve been wondering if old keys are worth anything or whether they are something to collect, the answer is yes! The main typologies are Ward Perkins’s, developed for the keys in the London Museum; and Goodall’s, a modification of the London system developed in Winchester ( Biddle 1990, 1005-36). The London system uses Roman numerals, and the Winchester system uses Arabic numerals.

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The best-photographed example on the PAS database is shown below, but this does not have an end-on view showing details of the bit. It is always useful to take as many angles as you can, as these keys can be difficult to reconstruct from limited views. Winchester type B

Among Imation’s IronKey products are flash drives certified by Microsoft for Windows To Go. [16] Windows To Go is an enterprise feature of Windows 8 that enables the creation of a workspace that can be booted from a USB-connected external drive on PCs that meet Microsoft certification requirements, regardless of the operating system running on the PC. A Windows To Go product, the IronKey Workspace W300, received the Editors’ Choice accolade from PC Magazine in February 2013. [17] Products [ edit ] Secure Portable Storage [ edit ] Goodall defines this type as having ‘bit and stem in line’ (in Biddle 1990, nos 3725-30). The Winchester type C keys are all of iron, and have openwork rectangular or circular bits; they belong to the late 11th to possibly the early 13th century at Winchester, and are also found in mainly 12th-century contexts in London ( Egan 1998, 100-102, nos. 267-8). There are not many known of copper alloy. The keys that go along with master keys are sometimes called valet keys {useful for cars parked in a garage where you do not want to give the attendant access to the glove box} and are also sometimes called (controversially) as slave keys. This essay by Peggy Shinner on LitHub is an insightful read on that topic. 3. Phonograph Cabinet Keys Victrola Phonograph Cabinet Key found by Shawn White while metal detecting at an old homestead. Used in The Enchanted Key miniquest to find a number of buried chests with a hot/cold style game. These chests give a number of items as well as the Mjolnirs.Solid copper-alloy key handles, originally with iron stems. From left, LANCUM-6B5B80, BH-08EF06, SF-F573C2, SF-072683. Keys with the bit at right angles to the plane of the handle

Age: Generally speaking, the older something is the more potential value it might have. Ancient keys that are over 500 years old certainly do fetch a nice amount, although they are not generally easy to find and also do not have a huge market. We’ve used keys for all sorts of things – to protect our homes, protect our valuables, or even to protect our deepest inner thoughts scrawled in an old diary.

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Those with openwork bows often also have suspension loops, normally short and tubular; these may have been used with rings, chains or swivels but, if so, none survive in place. One key, WMID-25B5B4, has a leather thong surviving, but it is wrapped around the bow and does not actually use the ‘suspension’ loop. Keys of London type VI with openwork bows and tubular suspension loops. Left, WMID-D7BDAC (above) and WAW-7347C6 (below). Centre, NMS-45AE81 (above) and WMID-643E11 (below). Right, WMID-7CE0D1 (above) and WMID-25B5B4 (with leather thong, below).