This is the obverse of a silver two merk piece minted at Edinburgh in 1578, during the reign of James VI. The coin was worth 26 shillings and eight pence Scots.
The obverse bears a crowned shield. The Latin inscription translates as: 'James VI, by the Grace of God, King of Scots'.
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.
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