Coin (Obverse), half-plack, from reign of James IV

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This is the obverse of a billon half-plack minted in Edinburgh between 1488 and 1513, during the reign of James IV. The coin was worth two pence Scots.

The obverse has a crowned shield in a four-arc tressure with a crown on each side. The Latin inscription is in Old English lettering and translates as: 'James, by the Grace of God, King of Scots'.

James IV's coins were mainly continuations of the types issued during the previous reign. Those stylistic changes that did occur were largely backward-looking. No attempt was made to follow James III's example of using a realistic portrait.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-066-677-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.C16245
• Date: 1488 - 1513
  Between 1488 and 1513
  
• Material: Billon; both sides off-centre, especially reverse; some flattening, especially on obverse; moderate wear. Inscription: Obv. Cross of five pellets IACOBVS D [EI] GRA REX SCOTO; Old English lettering; no stops visible; crowned shield in four-arc tressure;
  Coin Type: Stewart Group IIa
  Coin, half plack
  
• Dimensions: 19.00 mm D / Die Axis: 9.0
  
• What: Coin Type: Stewart Group IIa
  Coin, half plack
  
• Subject: Queen Street Coin Collection
  
• Who: James IV
  Pollexfen Collection (Burns's attribution)
  
• Where: Scotland
  Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  
• Event:
• Description: Billon half-plack of James IV, 1488 - 1513
  
• References:
  • 'Currency' [multimedia CD-ROM] Edinburgh: NMS, 1995 
  • Stewart, I.H. 'The Scottish Coinage'. Second Edition. London: Spink & Son, 1967 
• Translations:
• Related Records: