File:Medieval papal bulla of Nicholas III (FindID 517607).jpg

English: A very corroded cast medieval lead papal bulla of Pope Nicholas III (AD 1277-1280). The object is sub-circular, with truncations at the top and bottom at the points at which the cord would have travelled through an internal recess. One face bears the conventional stamped busts of Saints Peter and Paul both within very faint drop-shaped pelleted borders, possibly haloes. On the left, St Paul's beard is portrayed as being long, straight and pointed, while his hair is straight and swept back. On the right, Peter looks left with his more rounded hair and beard both formed of pellets. Between the two is a crozier. Above is the inscription: 'SPA SPE' (abbreviations for St Paul and St Peter).

The reverse face bears a legend in high relief, or at least less worn and corroded, suggesting that it might have been struck harder originally; otherwise, the reverse die engraved far more recently than the die depicting the saints which might have endured from preceding pontificates. It bears the inscription 'NICO/LAVS :/P P : III : (omega above the 'P's)' in three lines, formerly within a pelleted border: 'P P' stands for 'Pastor Pastorum', translated as 'shepherd of the shepherds'. The stops are formed of columns of three pellets.

The faces are at a very slightly angle to each other, no more than five degrees. A paralle can be found illustrated in Saunders ed. (2001, 89; ref. 3).