Circles gold pieces (6)
I believe the answer is:
orbits
'circles' is the definition.
(orbiting is a kind of circling)
'gold pieces' is the wordplay.
'gold' becomes 'or' ('or' is the heraldic name for gold).
'pieces' becomes 'bits' ('bit' can be a synonym of 'piece'**).
'or'+'bits'='ORBITS'
(Other definitions for orbits that I've seen before include "Circulates" , "Goes around like paths of planets" , "Travels in circular path like planet" , "Paths of e.g. planets" , "Paths of satellites around planets" .)