Scottish silver coinage

Scottish silver coinage was produced locally for the Scottish monarchy from the reign of David I (1124–1153) until 1709. David I commenced production in 1136 after capturing Carlisle, its silver mines, and its mint from King Stephen of England. He struck silver pennies at Carlisle, Edinburgh, St Andrews, Roxburgh, and Berwick. These early coins closely resembled contemporary English pence, matching their weight standards and adopting reverse patterns such as the Tealby, short cross, and long cross designs. A profile bust on the obverse initially distinguished Scottish pennies from English facing portraits.

Weight parity with English issues ceased under David II, whose debased coins were banned from England in 1356. Robert III devalued the currency further to half the English standard by 1392 and replaced the profile bust with a facing head. Subsequent reigns introduced diverse silver denominations influenced by continental models, including the silver plack and the silver groat under James III, the latter noted for its realistic portraiture. James VI called in and melted down existing silver coins at the end of the sixteenth century to produce new issues carrying his portrait.

Among late sixteenth- and seventeenth-century issues was the merk, a silver coin struck in denominations ranging from the eighth-thistle merk up to the four merk. The initial merk issue comprised fifty per cent silver and fifty per cent base metal, weighing 103.8 grains. During the Marian civil war in 1572, half merks were struck in Edinburgh Castle by the goldsmith James Cockie. James VI issued silver merks bearing the Scottish lion on the obverse and a thistle on the reverse, notably in his eighth coinage dated between 1601 and 1604. From 1604, following the Union of the Crowns, Scottish fine silver coins were aligned with English compositions and sizes, with distinctive local production concluding in 1709.

Collectors should also check for Scottish mint signatures from centres such as Edinburgh, Carlisle, St Andrews, or Berwick, alongside denominations unique to Scotland such as merks and placks.