Coin (Reverse), two-thirds lion noble, from the reign of James VI

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This is the reverse of a gold two-thirds lion noble minted at Edinburgh in 1584, during the reign of James VI. The coin was worth 75 shillings Scots.

The reverse has four crowned 'IR' ciphers (for Iacobus Rex [King James]) arranged as a saltire with an 'S' in the centre. The Latin inscription translates as: 'Give the king Thy judgement, O God' (from Psalm 122), followed by the date, 1584.

The coins of James VI's reign are considered to have the most beautiful designs and most varied legends of all Scottish coins. After the Union of the Crowns of 1603, Scottish gold and silver coins closely resembled their English counterparts.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-000-497-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.C188
• Date: 1584
  
• Material: Gold; slightly creased; slight to moderate wear. Inscription: Obv. Quatrefoil with central pellet POST . 5 . & . 100 . PROA . INVICTA . MANENT . HEC; stops as written; crowned lion sejant / Rev. Quatrefoil with central pellet DEVS . IVDICIVM . TVVM . REG
  Coin Type: 4th coinage
  Coin, third lion noble
  
• Dimensions: 20.00 mm D / Die Axis: 5.5
  
• What: Coin Type: 4th coinage
  Coin, third lion noble
  
• Subject: Queen Street Coin Collection
  
• Who: James VI
  Sutherland Collection? (RBKS annotation on ticket in tray)
  
• Where: Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  
• Event:
• Description: James VI gold one-third-lion noble, Edinburgh, 1584
  
• References:
  • 'Currency' multimedia programme NMS 1995 
  • Stewart, I.H. 'The Scottish Coinage'. Second Edition. London: Spink & Son, 1967 
• Translations:
• Related Records: