Scotland 1603 merk

Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale, lot 73157

photo courtesy Stack's Bowers LLC

This specimen was lot 73157 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2021), where it sold for $960. The catalog description^[1] noted, "SCOTLAND. Thistle Merk, 1603. Edinburgh Mint. James VI. PCGS EF-40. Eighth coinage. Obverse: Crowned coat-of-arms; Reverse: Crowned thistle. Quite wholesome and original, this lightly handled hammered issue features an alluring cabinet tone and only honest, even wear upon the high points. Despite being housed in an older generation holder, this example remains the finest certified in the PCGS census." This specimen sold for double the catalog value, suggesting that it is rarer than many think. The coinage of Scotland prior to unification with England is confusing. Bullion was scarce, so issues were small and sporadic. Pence and shillings were used but were not worth their English equivalents. This merk, roughly equal to ten Scottish shillings, was worth about one English shilling.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 6.79 g, 0.917 fine silver, about 32 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: S-5497; KM-16.

Source:

Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of the Coins of Scotland, Ireland, Channel Islands & Isle of Man, London: Coincraft, 1999.
Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of Scotland, Ireland and the Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Man & Lundy), Pre-Decimal Issues, 2nd edition, London: Spink & Son, 2003.
^[1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The June 2021 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.

Link to:

Scotland 1603 merk

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