Scottish Coins & Tokens

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Scottish Jacobite & Earlier Medals

 

WSC-6929:  James Francis Edward Stuart / James III of Scotland Silver Touch Piece.  See the excellent “The Sovereign Remedy” by Noel Woolf (ISBN 0 901603 01 5) for everything you need to know about touchpieces and the Kings & Queens that personally handed them out.  The would-be James III of England or James VIII of Scotland was in exile in Italy immediately following his second unsuccessful invasion of Scotland in 1715.  It was while in exile in the Palazzo del Re, Rome (courtesy of the pope) that he had these silver touch pieces made for both his English and Scottish supporters.  This example is very much an Italian commission due to the IAC.III obverse legend, as opposed to the French commissioned English IAC 3 and Scottish IAC 8 reverse legends.  James gave them out in very tiny quantities during special Touching Ceremonies where, because he was in direct contact with God, he had the power to cure Scofula (TB).  Or so he believed.  This one is from a collection dating back to the 1880's – see tickets.  This image here, from an auction just last year, illustrates  just how rare these Scottish pieces are (and how bad the auction house was at estimating value!) - they were produced in such tiny quantities and very few survived.  Guaranteed to have been personally touched by James when he gave this out to a Scrofula sufferer at one of the ceremonies.  This is a piece of Scottish and English (but mainly Scottish!!) history.  £1,475

 

WSC-7392:  1697 Scottish Jacobite Medal – The Treaty of Ryswick.  Issued by the Stuarts, as part of a series, and likely intended for distribution in London to partisans of the Stuarts, so basically early propaganda pieces.  The son of James II was chosen in preference to his father, presumably to show succession and therefore legitimacy of the cause.  M.I. (ii)195/504 and listed as Rare.  Ex Bernard Paul collection, ex Spink.  £185

 

WSC-7203:  1699 Scottish Silver Jacobite Medal.  Prince James Edward Francis Stuart, 1688 – 1766.  A medal designed by Roettier and distributed among Jacobite followers, predominantly outside of Scotland, to gather support for Prince James (The Old Pretender) to be crowned James III of England and Ireland and James VIII of Scotland.  MI (ii)204/519, Eimer 381.  Sold with an old (2004?) ticket together with a more recent auction information slip.  The rising sun is typical of the symbolism used by the Jacobites; it represents the sun dispersing demons – a new dawn.  £325

 

WSC-7119:  1745 Scottish Jacobite Rebellion AE Medal.  Struck to commemorate the re-taking of Carlisle.  Medallic Illustrations (ii) 605/261.  Prince Charles and his army advanced into England as far as Derby where, upon full consideration of the dangers which threatened them, they commenced their retreat, making no stand until they were over the border.  The Jacobites left a small garrison at Carlisle, which, after a small show of resistance, surrendered to the Duke of Cumberland.  This medal depicts the Duke as a Roman warrior defeating the Hydra of Rebellion with Carlisle in the distance.  £155

 

WSC-7120:  1745 Scottish Jacobite Rebellion Silver Medal.  Struck to commemorate the re-taking of Carlisle after the Duke had returned to London.  Medallic Illustrations (ii) 606/264.  Prince Charles and his army advanced into England as far as Derby where, upon full consideration of the dangers which threatened them, they commenced their retreat, making no stand until they were over the border.  The Jacobites left a small garrison at Carlisle, which, after a small show of resistance, surrendered to the Duke of Cumberland.  This medal depicts the Duke, trampling on a Scottish soldier, comforting Anglia, who is accompanied by the emblems of Religion & Liberty.  Listed Rare.  £395

 

WSC-7121:  1745 Scottish Jacobite Rebellion Silver Medal.  Struck to commemorate the re-taking of Carlisle after the Duke had returned to London.  Medallic Illustrations (ii) 607/265.  Prince Charles and his army advanced into England as far as Derby where, upon full consideration of the dangers which threatened them, they commenced their retreat, making no stand until they were over the border.  The Jacobites left a small garrison at Carlisle, which, after a small show of resistance, surrendered to the Duke of Cumberland.  This medal depicts the mighty English Lion overcoming the weak Wolf with the legend “Justice Triumphant” – a retort against Prince Charles who had inscribed his standrard, perhaps prematurely, “Tandem Triumphans”: Triumphant at last.  Listed Rare.  £295

 

WSC-7537:  1745 Scottish Jacobite Silver Medal.  Carlisle is recaptured, under the command of the Duke of Cumberland, and the Jacobite rebels retreat back to Scotland.  A medium silver medal being 34mm diameter – similar to a contemporary halfcrown.  Eimer 598, Medallic Illustrations (ii) 606/264.  Toned VF and ex Spink.  £395

 

WSC-7123:  1746 Scottish Jacobite Rebellion AE Medal.  Struck to commemorate the famous Battle of Culloden.  Medallic Illustrations (ii) 616/286.  Following on from the success at Carlisle, the Duke of Cumberland marched over the border on the 12th April, 1746, and entered Nairn.  Two days later the Duke’s army marched out to attack Prince Charles’ army on Culloden Moor.  Although the Highlanders initially attacked bravely, they were quickly defeated by a cunning attack from the rear by General Bland.  Those still living, and able, fled in disarray.  Indeed, so rapid was the defeat that the famous Scottish novelist, Tobias Smollett, in his most famous poem, “The Tears of Scotland”, said: “In one short hour, all the Prince’s hopes vanished and the rebellion was entirely extinguished”.  This medal depicts a suppliant Highlander kneeling before the mighty, victorious English Lion.  Remarkably good grade for one of these.  £195

 

 

 

Hammered Silver Coinage

 

David 1st

 

WSC-7220:  David 1st  Hammered Silver Phase A Penny.  Struck 1136 up until the very early 1140’s.  1.09g, 10h.  Cross Moline type in David’s name: (+D)AVID RE, so literally the very first Scottish coin struck with a Scottish monarch’s name.  Spink 5003.  Struck Edinburgh with Erebald as the moneyer: (+)EREBALD (---).  Listed in THE SYLLOGE OF COINS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 35: SCOTTISH COINS as #1 – the very first coin in the book.  The sylloge is made up of the Ashmolean & Hunterian museum collections, those being the main public resource for Scottish coinage.  The Ashmolean has only two Phase A examples (their #1 the same dies as this coin); the Hunterian Museum has none.  The National Museum Edinburgh (see CATALOGUE OF SCOTTISH COINS  IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM EDINBUGH) has no David 1st coins earlier than Phase C.  Sold with these old auction tickets / cabinet labels.  Reverse off-struck, some slight porosity and about VF for issue.  The last Spink 5003 I saw go through auction was the William’s example, sold through Spink 2018.  That coin was lacking in legends and still achieved £7,500 including buyer’s commission.  The only other 5003 I recall seeing was getting on for ten years ago with a hammer of around £12,800 after buyer’s commission.  This is an excessively rare and very important coin.  £6,995

 

WSC-7112:  David 1st Early Scottish Hammered Silver Penny.  1124-53.  In fact David 1st coins were the first Scottish coins to be officially issued.  Period D, posthumous issue struck under Malcolm IV.  Spink 5010 with better workmanship on the dies and although the legends were meaningless, they were at least composed of properly formed letters.  Obverse: crowned bust right with sceptre, legend reads: +NRVOIL; reverse: cross fleurdelisse, pellets in angles, +.NR.  1.29g, die rotation 10h, SCBI 35, 9ff; B 27, fig.8A – same obverse die.  Tentatively attributed to the Roxburgh mint.  Slightly bent but otherwise extraordinarily good grade for this issue at nearly VF.  Indeed, not only have I never seen another coin approaching this grade in the hand, I also have seen nothing as good in reference books.  The National Museum in Edinburgh have no examples and the x5 period D examples shared between the Hunterian (Glasgow) and the Ashmolean (Oxford), one of which is a cut quarter, are not a patch on this one – the portrait of David is absolutely stunning.  A rare and important coin.  £7,625

 

 

 

Prince Henry

 

WMH-7606:  Excessively rare Stephen Norman Kings (Struck under Prince Henry of Scotland) Hammered Silver Penny.  Cross Moline “Watford” B.M.C. 1 type, circa 1136-45.  + [---] ON CAST – Newcastle mint.   1.33 grams, 20mm, 190 degree die rotation.  Struck in the 1140's under Prince Henry of Scotland when Newcastle, and much of the North East of England, was under Scottish rule – this is normally referenced by the see-saw “ownership” of Berwick-upon-Tweed.   Newcastle is one of the rarest Norman mint towns and when you couple that with the Scottish Prince Henry angle, not to mention the high grade, it elevates this coin higher still.  Even though the moneyer at the time was obliged by law to state his name on the coin, he effectively got around this by hitting the coin at an angle, thereby completely flattening his name.  There has been much speculation as to whether this practise was accidental or not but whatever the truth, if I were a moneyer in an area of conflict where the other side might easily regain power, I’d be doing my utmost to remain anonymous.  I seem to recall reading of a moneyer who had his hands chopped off in just this scenario.  The esteemed and highly respected Dr Martin Allen has the moneyer as IOCE.  My own opinion is that the moneyer is more likely to be WILLEM as the spacing just doesn’t fit IOCE.  Further, I personally do not believe that this coin is a die pair to EMC/SCBI NUMBER:1200.0165: note the differences of the reverse S of CAST and the obverse differences in the T of STIEFNE – the coin for sale here has the T looking more like a stylised lombardic Lis whilst the T on 1200.0165 looks very Roman.  I could be wrong but regardless, I’m certainly not wrong to raise the question and I’m sure Martin Allen would actively encourage debate.  All that aside, this is an interesting coin in its own right by the contrasting styles of lettering, obverse and reverse, although both the S’s are reversed, something I wouldn’t have expected.  An issue with a good percentage of recorded examples being from the famous Pretwich Hoard of 1971.  Six of all twelve recorded examples are cut coins or poor grade.  Very few examples are held in private hands with this coin being one of the best grade examples in that tiny cohort.  One of the best coins I’ve ever owned.  £3,775

 

 

 

William 1st

 

Short Cross & Stars “PHASE A” coinage, circa 1195-1205

 

WSC-7282:  William 1st “The Lion” Scottish Medieval Penny.  Short cross & stars coinage of 1195 – 1205.  Spink 5027.  +RAVL ON ROCEB – rarer Roxburgh mint.   The Sylloge of Coins of the British Isles (#35 – Scottish coins in the Ashmolean & Hunterian Museums) lists only three examples held of Roxburgh, none of which are in the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow!  £285

 

 

Short Cross & Stars “PHASE B” coinage, circa 1205-1230

 

WSC-6099:  William 1st “The Lion” Medieval Scottish Penny.  Phase B type:  1205 – 1230.  Voided short cross.  The much rarer +hENRY LE RVS reverse reading (Spink 5031) which is from the Roxburgh mint.  Crude (stylised), very good grade and rare.  £425

 

WSC-7345:  William 1st “The Lion” Scottish Hammered Silver Penny.  Short Cross & Stars, Phase B coinage of 1205-1230.  Spink 5029.  +hVE WALTER – joint Edinburgh & Perth mints.  An excellent portrait piece, being just as good as the Spink plate coin.  £425

 

WSC-7391:  William 1st Medieval Scottish Hammered Silver Voided Short Cross Penny.  Phase B, 1205-30, Spink 5029.  Obverse: +LE REI WILI A, reverse: +hUIE WALTER.  Joint Edinburgh and Perth mints.  Choice.  £495

 

 

 

Alexander II

 

WSC-7618:  Alexander II (2nd) Hammered Silver Voided Short Cross Penny.  Phase C, circa 1230-35: coinage in the name of Alexander’s father, William the Lion: +: WILELMVS REX.  For some reason, possibly because Alexander II was very busy with insurrection, invasions and intrigue throughout his reign, coinage retained William’s name for some twenty years, although the portraits were Alexander II.  Joint moneyers working out of Roxburgh: PERIS ADAM ON RO. 1.36g, 7h.  Holmes & Lord Stewartby SCBI 81 var, B 6b var, Spink 5034.  Rare coin.  £745

 

 

 

Alexander III

 

1st Issue Pennies

 

WSC-6377:  Alexander III Rarer 1st Issue “DVN” Mint Penny.  Long cross & stars, 1250-80.  WALTER.ON.DVN – one of the mysteries of Scottish coinage is that we still do not know the mint town represented by the signature DVN.  Dunbar, Dunfermline, Dundee, even Dumbarton have all been muted as the possible location.  Type III, Spink 5043.  The new Spink book (2015 so not that new anymore) has this coin at £450.  This one for sale at  £425

 

WSC-5982:  Alexander III Rarer 1st Issue BERWICK Mint Penny.  Long cross & stars, 1250-80.  RO BER TON BE – Robert of Berwick.  Outstanding portrait piece.  Type III, SCBI 35, 93/A, Spink 5043.  £385

 

WSC-6793:  Alexander III Rarer 1st Issue STIRLING Mint Penny.  Long cross & stars, 1250-80.  hO(N) RI. ON^S TR – Henri of Stirling.  Type III, SCBI 35, 137/A, Spink 5043.  Old collection piece.  A rare Scottish mint.  £395

 

 

 

2nd Coinage Pennies

 

WSC-6856:  Alexander III Scottish Hammered Silver Penny.  Second coinage, 1280-86.  Edinburgh mint town.  Class E, Spink 5056.  Not a great eye appeal coin (worn and centrally pierced) but a rare 20 point reverse.  £55

 

WSC-6769:  Alexander III Scottish Hammered Silver Penny.  Second coinage, 1280-86.  Perth mint town.  Class E, Spink 5056.  £145

 

WSC-6881:  Alexander III Scottish Hammered Silver Penny.  Second coinage, 1280-86.  Perth mint town.  Rarer class D,   Spink 5057.  From an old collection – see original ticket here.  £135

 

WSC-6882:  Alexander III Scottish Hammered Silver Penny.  Second coinage, 1280-86.  Roxburgh mint town.  Spink 5054.  From an old collection – see original ticket here.  £98

 

WSC-7275:  Alexander III Scottish Medieval Hammered Silver Penny.  Sterling class E with x20 points making this Edinburgh mint.  Spink 5056.  Actually quite a rare little coin as there are extra pellets: one pellet in the second and two in the fourth reverse quarters together with a pellet separating ALEXAND with ER on the obverse.  The National Museum of Scotland  in Edinburgh has a single example in their collection.  If you’re looking for interesting varieties, look no further!  £95

 

 

 

2nd Coinage Half Pennies

 

 

 

John Baliol

 

Pennies

 

WSC-5369:  John Baliol Scottish Hammered Silver Penny.  The first issue, “rough” coinage of 1292 – 1296.  Spink 5065.  John Baliol was “chosen” out of thirteen competitors for the Scottish throne upon the death of Alexander III.  The English king, Edward I, was the arbitrator.  John Baliol’s four year reign ended in 1296 with his abdication when Berwick, Edinburgh, Perth, Roxburgh and Stirling all fell to the English.  £385

 

WSC-5583:  John Baliol Scottish Hammered Silver Penny.  The first issue, “rough” coinage of 1292 – 1296.  CIVITAS SANDREE – the much rarer St Andrew’s mint.  Spink 5067.  John Baliol was “chosen” out of thirteen competitors for the Scottish throne upon the death of Alexander III.  The English king, Edward I, was the arbitrator.  John Baliol’s four year reign ended in 1296 with his abdication when Berwick, Edinburgh, Perth, Roxburgh and Stirling all fell to the English.  £545

 

 

 

Robert “The Bruce” 1st

 

WSC-7619:  Robert The Bruce Hammered Silver Medieval Penny.  Robert 1st, 1306-29.  Crowned head left, sceptre before, beaded circles and legend surrounding, +:ROBERTVS: DEI: GRA:, rev. long cross pattee, pierced mullet of five points in each quarter, beaded circles +SCO TOR Vm R EX, weight 1.35g (Burns 1, figure 225; Spink5076).  One of two star coins in the 2009 Drayton Hoard (the other was also a Robert Bruce that was sold through HistoryInCoins 9-6-22 for £2,200) – over a kilo of predominantly English medieval pennies.  The hoard was likely deposited in 1353; the last issue to be found in the hoard was an Edward III pre treaty York penny.  Only 34 coins out of the many thousands were Scottish.  The British Museum undertook a cursory examination and cleanup of the hoard but were unable to devote the necessary resources and time for a full study.  The coins were thereby returned to the finder under the Treasure Act where they were later sold.  A direct descendant of David 1st, Robert Bruce was crowned in 1306, on the back of ten turbulent years with various armies moving backwards and forwards over Scotland.  In 1318, Bruce’s reign saw the gradual repossession of the kingdom, partly from the English and partly from Scottish rivals.  It is likely that no coinage was struck for Robert Bruce until 1320.  Only three recorded dies, this one being Burns 1.   All Robert Bruce coinage is very rare but interestingly, although his coinage basically copied that of Alexander III, whereas Alexander’s coinage is often found VF or better, Robert Bruce’s coinage (on the rare occasions you do actually see an example) invariably turns up worn or damaged / pierced.  The all important provenance makes this coin extremely significant and desirable.  £1,750

 

 

 

David II

 

Groats

 

WSC-6773:  David II Medieval Scottish Hammered Silver Groat.  Third (Light) coinage, 1367-71  VILLA EDINBVRGH – Edinburgh mint.  Spink 5125 – star on the base of the sceptre coupled with trefoils within the tressure.  £275

 

WSC-7054:  David II Medieval Scottish Hammered Silver Groat.  Second coinage, VILL AA BER DON – rare Aberdeen mint.  Spink 5103.  Ex Murrey, ex Spink, ex Carlyon-Britton, ex Parsons, ex Glendinings, etc.  An impressive provenance with some very well known names.  Attractively toned, especially on the reverse.  Sold with old tickets.  Spink 5103.  The last Aberdeen mint David II groat I saw go through auction achieved a hammer price approaching two thousand and I can’t imagine it had as good a provenance as this one.  £1,350

 

 

Pennies

 

WSC-6460:  David II Medieval Scottish Hammered Silver Penny.  Second coinage, 1351-57.  VILLA ABERDON – the very rare Aberdeen provincial mint.  Spink 5121 where the 2020 price guide lists this coin at £1,100.  I am unaware of any Aberdeen pennies coming up for sale in recent or even non recent times.  A great rarity – an Aberdeen Groat in this series (Spink 5103) achieved a final price of $4288 – well over £3,000 – in the January 2021 CNG sale.  £795

 

WSC-7490:  David II Medieval Scottish Hammered Silver Penny.  Second coinage, 1351-7, Edinburgh mint.  Spink 5088.  Nice grade coin.  £275

 

 

 

Robert II

 

Groats

 

WSC-6776:  Robert II Scottish Hammered Silver Groat.  1371-90, Edinburgh mint, second issue, 1357-67.  Interesting fact: Robert II’s grandfather was Robert the Bruce.  Spink 5131.  £275

 

 

 

Halfgroats

 

WSC-5623:  Robert II Scottish Hammered Silver HALF Groat.  1371-90, Perth mint.  Spink 5143.  Interesting fact: Robert II’s grandfather was Robert the Bruce.  Uncommon.  £275

 

 

 

Pennies

 

WSC-6093:  Robert II Scottish Hammered Silver Penny.  1371-90, Perth mint.  Interesting fact: Robert II’s grandfather was Robert the Bruce.  Spink 5146 – rarer variety.  £159

 

WSC-7229:  Robert II Scottish Hammered Silver Long Cross Penny.  Single type issue, 1371-90, Edinburgh mint.  Ex Mctears auction.  Several stable surface stress fractures.  A rare coin.  £155

 

 

 

Halfpennies

 

WSC-7491:  Robert II Medieval Scottish Hammered Silver Halfpenny.  1371-90, Edinburgh mint.  Spink 5152.  Better than the Spink plate coin.  £395

 

 

 

Robert III

 

WSC-7161:  Robert III Scottish Medieval Hammered Silver Groat.  Heavy coinage of 1390 – 1403.  First issue with a rough, tall facing bust.  Edinburgh mint.  Fleur-de-Lis in reverse legend thus the rarer Spink 5164A.  Ex Capozzolo collection.  Sold with an old cabinet ticket and a derailed information slip.  Quite a difficult coin to source in better grades.  £265

 

 

 

James III

 

WSC-7240:  James III Scottish Hammered Crux Pellit Copper “Three-Penny Penny”.  Formally regarded as an Ecclesiastical “Crossraguel” issue of Bishop Kennedy.  Spink 5311.  If you’re interested, the Scottish had a penchant for naming coins from the actual coin legends (the Nonsunt under Mary springs to mind) and this is no exception.  James III was an interesting individual.  Crowned aged 9, the Scots lost Berwick to keep the peace with England but gained Orkney and the Shetland Isles as a part dowry (which makes you wonder what the other part of the dowry was!) when James married Margaret of Denmark (she was just 13).  James III was so unpopular due to his lifestyle and blind insistence upon a policy of pursuing an alliance with the Kingdom of England that he was, perhaps inevitably, murdered after his defeat at Sauchieburn.  Struck on a generous flan and high grade.  This is a choice coin for issue, being better (and by some margin) than the Spink plate coin.  £425

 

WSC-7184:  Scottish James III Crux Pellit “Three-Penny-Penny”.  Struck in copper and once thought to be an Ecclesiastical issue under Bishop Kennedy.  Spink 5307.  If you’re interested, the Scottish had a penchant for naming coins from the actual coin legends (the Nonsunt under Mary springs to mind) and this is no exception.  James III was an interesting individual.  Crowned aged 9, the Scots lost Berwick to keep the peace with England but gained Orkney and the Shetland Isles as a part dowry (which makes you wonder what the other part of the dowry was!) when James married Margaret of Denmark (she was just 13).  James III was so unpopular due to his lifestyle and blind insistence upon a policy of pursuing an alliance with the Kingdom of England that he was, perhaps inevitably, murdered after his defeat at Sauchieburn.  This is a high grade coin for issue, being actually marginally better than even the Spink plate coin.  £295

 

WSC-7208:  James III Hammered Silver Scottish Groat.  The best known example by grade.  The main issue of 1484-88, struck Edinburgh: bust half-left with arched crown.  Annulet on inner circle before bust.  25mm, 2.87 grams.  Found Aberdeen “Some time ago”, ex Alan Hunter collection via a German auction.  Chipped (looks very old) at 6 and 8 o’clock and an unprecedented high grade.  Likely to be the very best portrait known and as collectors will be aware, these coins simply don’t turn up in anything more than fine grade at best.  Choice.  £3,995

 

WSC-7383:  James III Scottish Hammered Silver Groat.  Type II base (0.770 fineness) issue of 1471-83, Edinburgh mint.  Bust of James III half-right, in surcoat and armour.  Reverse shows thistleheads and mullets within the angles of a floriate cross.  Spink 5270.  An extremely rare issue.  Sold with a variety of old tickets, including a cabinet ticket – see here.  Not only extremely rare, but also a problematic issue: Spink’s plate coin is a touch better on the obverse but nowhere near as good on the reverse.  An important coin.  £1,495 RESERVED (E.M.7-10-22 Lay-Away)

 

WSC-7551:  James III Hammered Silver Scottish Groat.  Type VI, main issue of 1484-88.  Edinburgh mint.  Spink 5288.  24mm, 3.83g.  Toned and with a stain on the reverse.  Sold with a detailed information slip.  Extremely good grade for issue.  £1,395

 

 

 

James IV

 

WSC-6930:  James IV Hammered Billon Silver Plack.  One of the rarer monarchs for this denomination.  Struck Edinburgh.  Sold with old tickets.  Spink 5349.  £155

 

 

 

James V

 

WSC-6486:  James V Hammered Billon Silver Plack.  First coinage, 1513-36.  Sold with an old ticket.  Spink 5381.  £165

 

WSC-6799:  James V Scottish Stuart Hammered Billon Silver Bawbee.  Third coinage, 1538 – 1542.  Annulet over the obverse 1 so Spink 5384.  1.89 grams, 23mm.  Rarer monarch.  £235

 

WSC-7085:  James V Scottish Hammered Silver Bawbee.  Billon (25% fineness) issue of 1538-42.  Spink 5384.  £185

 

 

 

Mary

 

WTH-7604:  1556 Mary, Queen of Scots Hammered Silver Testoon.  A first issue (pre marriage), type IIIa Testoon of Five Shillings struck when Mary was just 13 years old – she was made Queen at the ripe old age of seven days old meaning the country was governed by Regents, first James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Châtellerault, 2nd Earl of Arran, great-grandson of King James II of Scotland, and then Marie de Guise, mother of Mary, Queen of Scots.  This coin would have been struck under Marie de Guise as James Hamilton lost the Regency in 1554.  0.916 silver fineness.  Spink 5404.  Ex Mark Senior (2004), ex DNW Sale 62.  About Very Fine.  £795

 

WTH-7605:  1558 Mary, Queen of Scots Hammered Silver Testoon.  A first issue (pre marriage), type IIIb Testoon of Five Shillings struck when Mary was just 15 years old – she was made Queen at the ripe old age of seven days old meaning the country was governed by Regents, first James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Châtellerault, 2nd Earl of Arran, great-grandson of King James II of Scotland, and then Marie de Guise, mother of Mary, Queen of Scots.  This coin would have been struck under Marie de Guise as James Hamilton lost the Regency in 1554.  0.916 silver fineness.  Spink 5406.  Sold with old tickets. Very Fine.  £865

 

WSC-7104:  Mary Queen of Scots Hammered Billon Silver Bawbee.  Struck in the first period of Mary’s reign, 1542-58, Edinburgh mint.  Interestingly, not only was that period before her marriage, it was actually during the Regency period where the Earl of Aran was Regent while Mary was still under age – the reverse cinquefoils apparently acknowledge this.  Evenly toned and VF with the usual flat areas.  Spink 5432.  Sold with a very detailed information slip.  £335

 

WSC-7209:  Mary, Queen of Scots, Hammered Silver Bawbee or Sixpence.  Struck in the first period of Mary’s reign, 1542-58, Edinburgh mint.  Interestingly, not only was that period before her marriage, it was actually during the Regency period where the Earl of Aran was Regent while Mary was still under age – the reverse cinquefoils apparently acknowledge this.  Spink 5432 - solid saltire cross.  £255

 

WSC-7230:  1559 Mary (with Francis) Scottish Hammered Silver Twelvepenny Groat or Nonsunt.  A rarer two year issue of half alloy that is rarely seen these days.  Crowned left-facing dolphin.  Old tickets showing Ex Spink, ex Gordon Andreas Singer.  Spink 5447.  The term “Nonsunt” was derived from the reverse legend.  £285

 

WSC-7362:  Francis & Mary Scottish Hammered Billon Silver Lion or Heardhead.  Second period, 1558-60.  Dolphins left, Spink 5450.  “Silver” is perhaps a little misleading as this issue was virtually base, being 23/24 alloy.  £125

 

WSC-7492:  Mary Scottish Hammered Silver HALF Bawbee.  First period before Mary’s marriage, 1542-58, Edinburgh mint.  Spink 5436.  A rare denomination.  £245

 

WSC-7587:  1557 Mary Queen of Scots Hammered Billon Siler Plack.  First period before Mary’s marriage, 1542-58.  Issue of ¾ (.750) alloy.  Spink 5437.  Circulated as a fourpenny piece.  £245

 

 

 

James VI

 

WSC-6885:  1575 Scottish James VI Hammered Silver Half Merk or Noble.  Second coinage, rare date.  Better grade with an extremely clear date.  Spink 5478.  £349

 

WSC-6809:  1599 James VI Hammered Silver Scottish Ten Shillings.  Seventh issue, Spink 5493.  Nice grade and a desirable date.  £385

 

WSC-7413:  James VI Scottish Hammered Silver Eightpenny Groat.  Coinage of 1583-90, being before James VI took on the English throne after the death of Elizabeth 1st in 1604.  Edinburgh mint.  An issue of 0.25 fineness.  Not quite as good as the better example I have listed but certainly getting there.  £185

 

WSC-7493:  1601 James VI Scottish Hammered Silver PORTRAIT Thirty Pence.  Seventh coinage, Edinburgh mint.  Spink 5495.  A rarer denomination but more, an excessively rare date – the rarest by some margin in the seven year run.  Spink rate this date at £675 and as collectors will be all too aware, Spink are famous for under-pricing.  A very rare coin indeed being better than the Spink plate coin.  £795

 

WSC-7363:  1602 James VI Scottish Hammered Silver Eighth Merk.  Seventh issue, just getting in there before James VI took on his second job as James 1st of England.  Spink 5500.  One of the best grade examples of this notoriously poor (ie well worn and often damaged) issue.  £225

 

WSC-7615:  1619 James VI of Scotland Hammered Silver Six Shillings.  Tenth coinage, initial mark Thistle, Spink 5508.  One of the rarer dates (the Collection of the National Museum of Scotland - Sylloge 70 – contains only one example of this date) although none are easy, in any grade.  The National Museum of Scotland’s collection is about as bad in grade as this coin, but then most are.  It was a terrible issue, but an extremely rare issue.  Ex Chris Comber collection – Chris, a leading light in Tudor coinage, was one of the leading collectors of this issue as a diversion from his main passion.  I was fortunate enough to know him and even to supply him occasionally with coinage for his collection, including Scottish six shillings.  £265

 

WSC-7620:  1622 James 1st Scottish Hammered Silver Six Shillings - Choice.  Tenth coinage, type II, Edinburgh mint.  Initial mark Thistle, Spink 5508.  An interesting issue in that it’s very easy to mistake this for the English sixpence (indeed, bizarrely, the 1622 English 6d also has initial mark Thistle, which is the usual way people differentiate) but if you look closely at the reverse shield, you’ll note the Scottish arms at are in the 1st and 4th quarters.  I’m not sure this has ever been illustrated before but here’s a comparison of the reverse shields on James 1st English sixpences and Scottish James VI six shillings.  One point of caution: the 1605, 1606 and 1609/7 Scottish six shillings have the English coat of arms so the initial mark is all you have to differentiate between the two!  Burns 163 (fig. 986), SCBI 35 (Scottish) 1379, Spink 5508 (this coin illustrated as the Spink plate coin in the 2n edition).  The very last Scottish six shillings date, made all the more interesting when you consider that there were no issues in 1620 and 1621.  Outstanding provenance: ex Carlyon-Britton, ex Glendining’s (1957), ex R.C. Locket, ex Spnk (1987), ex J.K.R. Murray, ex Spink (2006), ex LaRiviere, ex Davvison’s (2009), ex Chris Comber.  All tickets shown here.   The Collection of the National Museum of Scotland listed in Sylloge 70 only has the following dates in their collection: 1610, 1612, 1613 1615, 1617, 1618, 1619, 1622 and an unlisted date of 1624, which gives you an idea as to the extreme rarity of ALL Scottish six shillings.  Further, none of the museum coins come close to the grade of this piece and are mostly worn with only the 1619 piece being better than the others and closer in grade to this coin.  There is currently a 1615 Scottish six shillings for sale elsewhere, in a very similar grade to this coin but most importantly, WITHOUT any of the impressive provenance of this coin, at £4,500.  This is such an impressive coin in both rarity, grade and provenance.  Choice.  £2,950

 

 

 

Charles 1st

 

Silver

 

WSC-6015:  Scottish Charles 1st Hammered Silver Twelve Shillings.  Third coinage, 1637 – 1642.  Falconer’s second issue, type IV.  Spink 5563.  The coin is sold with a very old ticket, possibly WW2 period, stating that this coin was purchased for twenty five shillings.  £325

 

WSC-6687:  Scottish Charles 1st Hammered Silver Two Shillings.  Fourth coinage of 1642.  Spink 5593.  Rare.  £155

 

WSC-6946:  Scottish Charles 1st UNRECORDED Hammered Silver Forty Pence.  Third coinage, Briot-Falconer transitional issue of 1637-42 with an F (for Falconer) modified from a B (for Briot) below the reverse thistle.  At first glance this appears to be a standard B below the reverse thistle, so Spink 5576.  However, it’s clearly an F, modified from the earlier B – note the slightly bulbous top vertical and the very start of the bottom bulbous part of the B protruding slightly from the centre, these being the only aspects of the underlying B.  Everything else about this letter is an F.  See the following image, although please note that all letters have been rotated to the upright for ease of use.  There actually is no Falconer 40 pence recorded with an F below, only the B below.  However, Briot’s Spink 5576 with a B below is a B lying on its back, facing upwards, whilst this letter is 180 degrees rotated and facing downwards.  It’s an F for Falconer and as such, unrecorded.  Falconer naturally followed on from Briot during the Third Coinage of Charles 1st Scottish coins so this coin would appear to be a very rare transition from Briot to Falconer.  You’d think that one engraver would be highly unlikely to basically take his predecessor’s dies, churn out coinage and then call them his own by way of putting his mark on them and doing nothing else.  However, Nicholas Briot was appointed master of the Scottish mint in 1634 and later joined by his son-in-law, John Falconer, who eventually succeeded him in 1646.  By keeping things in the family and having an organic “passing on of the baton”, it becomes much more plausible that Falconer did the above.  An interesting coin; potentially the “missing link” between Briot and Falconer.  Perhaps it will be termed Third Coinage, type IIA as it certainly comes before Falconer’s first recorded type III.  £395

 

WSC-6989:  Charles 1st Hammered Silver Scottish Twenty Pence.  The rarer second coinage (Briot’s hammered issue) of 1636 only, not to be confused with the later third coinage.  Spink 5550.  Sold with an old dealer’s ticket together with an information slip and an annotated coin envelope.  £145

 

WSC-5367:  Scotland Charles 1st Hammered Silver Twenty Pence.  Third coinage, 1637 – 42.  Briot’s machine made issue.  £95

 

 

 

Copper

 

WSC-6874:  Scottish Charles 1st Copper Turner.  Earl of Stirling coinage, 1632-39.  Spink 5598.  Part of a single deceased collection put together from the 1960's onwards with this ticket looking to be dated 1989.  Type 1c with im flower over lozenge.  £48

 

 

 

Milled Coinage

 

Charles II

 

Silver

 

WSC-7431:  1664 Charles II Scottish FOUR Merks or 53 Shillings and 4 pence.  First coinage, first type – a single year issue with the reverse central panel containing LIII and 4, an unlikely combination of Roman numerals (LIII = 54) and the number 4, signifying the face value of this rare, high denomination Scottish silver coin.  Spink 5604, Murray 1.  Rarer en-medaille die axis (zero degrees die rotation as opposed to the normal 180 degree die rotation).  Thomas Simon was commissioned to prepare the dies for this first coinage.  The punches for this Four Merk were prepared in London but the actual dies were manufactured at the Scottish mint which had reopened in 1663 the Restoration.  The silver content of the coins was 0.917.  Large die break on the obverse and a smaller one on the reverse, perpendicular to the large one – the die was well and truly broken at this point in the production so this coin was one of the very last to be made.  Ex Baldwins (1986), ex Macdonald collection.  Sold with auction slip etc.  Two merks are rare enough but I don’t ever recall seeing a four merk coin before.  For once, even Spink agree on rarity with this coin.  £1,995

 

WJC-7046:  1669 Charles II Scottish Silver Half Merk.  6s, 8d, struck under the first coinage.  Spink 5614.  Rarer en medaille die axis.  £165

 

WSC-6688:  1670 Charles II Scottish Silver Merk.  First coinage.  Interesting for two reasons: 1. There is a colon after the date and 2. The die axis is 85 degrees which is noted in Spink (p96) as considerably rarer than the standard 180 or en medaille die axis types.  £185

 

WSC-7096:  Charles II 1670 Scottish Milled Half Merk or 6s, 8d.  First coinage, Spink 5614.  Three factors elevate this coin above most others: a) High grade for issue, b) The die axis is a rare and bazaar 90 degrees and c) There are no obverse stops (a rare variety recorded by Spink).  Both an interesting and rare offering.  £435

 

WSC-6455:  1671 Charles II Scottish Silver Merk.  First coinage.  Interesting for two reasons: 1. The grade is much better than usually seen and 2. The die axis is 85 degrees which is noted in Spink (p96) as considerably rarer than the standard 180 or en medaille die axis types.  £225

 

WSC-6697:  1672 Charles II Scottish Silver HALF Merk.  First coinage.  Spink 5614.  Above average for issue.  £125

 

WSC-7284:  1677/6 Scottish Charles II Milled Silver Quarter Dollar.  Second coinage, Sir John Falconer, Master of the Mint issue.  A machine-made issue with the machinery to facilitate this obtained from London in 1675.  Spink 5620.  Rarely found in better grade than this and often (usually) found in worse grade.  Scottish coinage of this period was in short supply and thus usage was high.  £295

 

WSC-6096:  1677 Charles II Scottish Silver 1/16th Dollar.  Second coinage, Sir John Falconer, Master of the Mint issue.  A machine-made issue with the machinery to facilitate this obtained from London in 1675. Interestingly, the only denomination in the series to have a reverse Saltire Cross.  High grade for issue.  Spink 5624.  £325

 

WSC-7105:  1680 Charles II Scottish Silver Eighth Dollar.  Second coinage, Sir John Falconer, Master of the Mint issue.  A machine-made issue with the machinery to facilitate this obtained from London in 1675.  Spink 5622.  180 degree die axis.  £110

 

WSC-5838:  1682 over 1680 Scottish Charles II Silver ¼ Dollar.  Second coinage, Sir John Falconer, Master of the Mint issue.  A machine-made issue with the machinery to facilitate this obtained from London in 1675.  Good grade for issue.  £235

 

 

Copper

 

WSC-6657:  1677 Scottish Charles II Turner / Bodle.  The first date in only a three year issue.  Better grade for issue, being actually better than the Spink plate coin, and benefiting from being the rarer LAESSET error issue.  Spink 5632 (£200 in the 2015 guide).  A desirable coin.  £125

 

WSC-6666:  1677 Scottish Charles II Turner / Bodle.  The first date in only a three year issue.  Better grade for issue, being actually better than the Spink plate coin.  Spink 5630 (£135 in the 2015 guide).  £55

 

WSC-6650:  1677 Scottish Charles II Copper Bawbee or Sixpence.  First date in only a three year issue.  Spink 5628.  Better grade for issue, being about as good as the Spink plate coin.  £75

 

WSC-6651:  1678 Scottish Charles II Copper Bawbee or Sixpence.  Second date in only a three year issue.  Spink 5628.  Better grade for issue, being nearly as good as the Spink plate coin.  £65

 

WSC-6652:  1679 Scottish Charles II Copper Bawbee or Sixpence.  Third and rarest date in only a three year issue.  Spink 5628.  Better grade for issue, being nearly as good as the Spink plate coin.  £65

 

 

 

James VII

 

WSC-7168:  1687 James VII Scottish Silver Ten Shillings.  St Andrew’s cross with national emblems. Spink 5641.  A high grade example, being actually better than the Spink plate coin.  James VII was James II of England.  A short reign, brought about due to James’ most unpopular conversion to Catholicism.  Prior to this, James had had an excellent term as Duke of York by working alongside greats such as Samuel Pepys and Matthew Wren in improving the state of the Nation.  However, his actual reign was an unpleasant episode for all concerned.  Interestingly, it wasn’t religion, rather politics that sealed James’ fate - James attempted to impose his Catholic faith by decree; it was a political principle, rather than a religious one, that ultimately led to his removal.  This was all because, just like his father, Charles II, and those before him, James totally believed in his principles of absolutism and divine right of kings.  James had very little to do with Scotland during his short time as James VII, king of Scotland.  It is telling that Scotland, even though James VII produced his son and heir, James Francis Edward (the future Old Pretender), in a Scottish Convention followed that of England by finding that James had "forfeited" the throne and offered it to William and Mary.  Sold with a detailed information slip together with a cabinet ticket.  A rare coin indeed in this grade.  £1,175

 

 

James VIII

 

See Medals, above

 

 

 

William & Mary

 

WSC-7177:  1694 Scottish William & Mary Silver Five Shillings.  Conjoined heads to the left, WM monogram on the reverse.  Spink 5665 but the much rarer variation where the second V in GVLIELMVS is an inverted A.  I have never seen this variety before although Spink do list it.  £295

 

 

 

William II

 

WSC-6698:  1695 Scottish William II Copper BAWBEE.  Spink 5690 where it’s given very high values in the 2015 price guide.  £129

 

WSC-6921:  1697 William II of Scotland Silver Five Shillings.  A rare example of a Scottish five shillings – the vast majority of the few you see will invariably be Queen Anne.  A high grade example, being the best I've ever seen and by some margin.  Spink 5688.  You are not seeing much wear on this coin, rather poor dies / inadequate pressure at the minting stage on the large definition areas, ie the king's bust.  Please ignore the aberration of a main image in terms of colouring (I may well need a new camera soon!) and use this image to see the even colouring throughout.  £650 in EF in the Spink 2020 price guide (already quite out of date).  There are certainly EF areas to this coin.  The English (ie Norman) William I and William II were not the same person as the Scottish William I, but Scottish William II and English William III were indeed the same person!!  A very rare coin in this grade.  £395

 

 

 

Anne

 

WSC-7483:  1706 Queen Anne Scottish Silver 5 Shillings.  A pre Act of Union coin.  Toned, high grade (this issue is normally encountered in well circulated grade) thus rare.  Ex Spink auction – tickets.  Many people are not aware that Anne was second daughter to James II and so when Anne died in 1714, so ended the reign of the Stuarts.  A choice coin.  £355

 

 

 

James Francis Edward Stuart – The Old Pretender

 

WSC-6929:  James Francis Edward Stuart / James III of Scotland Silver Touch Piece.  See the excellent “The Sovereign Remedy” by Noel Woolf (ISBN 0 901603 01 5) for everything you need to know about touchpieces and the Kings & Queens that personally handed them out.  The would-be James III of England or James VIII of Scotland was in exile in Italy immediately following his second unsuccessful invasion of Scotland in 1715.  It was while in exile in the Palazzo del Re, Rome (courtesy of the pope) that he had these silver touch pieces made for both his English and Scottish supporters.  This example is very much an Italian commission due to the IAC.III obverse legend, as opposed to the French commissioned English IAC 3 and Scottish IAC 8 reverse legends.  James gave them out in very tiny quantities during special Touching Ceremonies where, because he was in direct contact with God, he had the power to cure Scofula (TB).  Or so he believed.  This one is from a collection dating back to the 1880's – see tickets.  This image here, from an auction just last year, illustrates  just how rare these Scottish pieces are (and how bad the auction house was at estimating value!) - they were produced in such tiny quantities and very few survived.  Guaranteed to have been personally touched by James when he gave this out to a Scrofula sufferer at one of the ceremonies.  This is a piece of Scottish and English (but mainly Scottish!!) history.  £1,475

 

 

 

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1700’s Church “Communion Tokens” (20% max off all marked prices when you buy 2 or more Communion Tokens!!)

 

WSC-5472:  1748 Scottish Communion Church Token.  A very early date indeed.  Dull, Perthshire.  Burzinski 3585 (image annotation for B number is incorrect).  Rare.  £25

 

WSC-4728:  1755 Scottish Communion Church Token.  A very early date indeed.  Cadder, Lanarkshire.  Minister Alexander Dun.  Burzinski 1190.  Rare.  £25

 

WSC-5473:  1793 Scottish Communion Church Token.  An early date.  Dull, Perthshire.  Burzinski 5029 (image annotation for B number is incorrect).  £25

 

WSC-4730:  1796 Scottish Communion Church token.  An early date.  Rare.  £25

 

WSC-5700:  1700’s Scottish Communion Church Token.  Mortlack, Banffshire.  Burzinski 4515.  £25

 

WSC-5701:  1700’s Scottish Communion Church Token.  Millbrex, Aberdeenshire.  Burzinski 4512.  £25

 

WSC-5702:  1790 Scottish Communion Church Token.  Craigend, Perthshire.  Minister Robert Forsyth.  Burzinski 1262.  £25

 

H174: 1700's Scottish Communion Token "LK" - Apparently Unrecorded in Burzinski.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H173: 1700's Scottish Communion Token - Berwickshire - Burzinski 6841.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H108: 1772 Scottish Communion Token - Larbert, Stirlingshire - Burzinski 2021.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H031: 1791 Scottish Communion Token - Leith, Lothians, Burzinski 4197.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H007: 1775 Scottish Communion Token - Lochgoilphead, Argyll, Burzinski 4167.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

WSC-5943:  1700’s Scottish Communion Church Token.  Lairg, Sutherland.  Burzinski 4067.  £25

 

WSC-5944:  1799 Scottish Communion Church Token.  Liff & Benvie, Angus.  Burzinski 4269.  £25 RESERVED (P.D.10/8/21)

 

 

1800’s Church “Communion Tokens” (20% max off all marked prices when you buy 2 or more Communion Tokens!!)

 

WSC-5698:  1871 Scottish Communion Church Token.  Leven, Fife.  Minister John S. Hyslop.  Burzinski 4248.  £25

 

H180: 1800's Scottish Communion Token - St Ninians, North Leith, Burzinski 5280.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H169: 1840 Scottish Communion Token - Glasgow, Lanarkshire - Burzinski 4818 VAR.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H168: 1843 Scottish Communion Token - Monzie, Perthshire - Burzinski 4974.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H167: 1835 Scottish Communion Token - Leitholm, Berwickshire - Burzinski 4206.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H112: 1850 Scottish Communion Token - Musselburgh, Lothians - Burzinski 5108.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H111: 1838 Scottish Communion Token - Dalkeith, Lothians - Burzinski 1858.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H078: 1801 Scottish Communion Token - Mains & Strathmartine - Burzinski 4594.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H073: 1802 Scottish Communion Token - Madderty, Perthshire - Burzinski 4581.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25

 

H034: 1827 Scottish Communion Token - Kinnell, Angus, Burzinski 3832.  See image for details.  Old collection piece.  £25