Bezant

 From the Latin: Byzantius nummus or Bezanta, and the French Besant

A gold roundlet, representing the gold coin used in Byzantium (Constantinople, Istanbul). In English heraldry it is represented as a round flat piece of gold, without impress. Its introduction into coats of armour is generally supposed to have taken place at the time of the first Crusade. It has, however, been since taken as a bearing on various occasions to denote the acquisition of wealth by honour and industry, or some fortuitous circumstance it was meant to record. When eight, ten, twelve or more are borne in one coat, their number and positions should be particularly named, for if indiscriminately strewed over the field, it is then termed bezanté. Its ancient orthography was besaunte. 

Although the word bezant is generally used to describe the gold roundel, one instance occurs where it cannot be called by its proper name and must be changed for that of roundel, as in the following example, per pale, or and gu three roundels, counterchanged.

See Roundel