Coin (obverse), half-testoon, from reign of Mary, Queen of Scots

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This is the obverse of a silver half-testoon minted at Edinburgh in 1558, in the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, during her marriage to Francis, the French dauphin. The coin was worth two shillings and six pence Scots.

The reverse has a crowned 'FM' monogram (for Francis and Mary) with a cross of Lorraine on either side. The Latin inscription translates as: 'He has made both one'. This inscription is followed by the date, 1558.

Mary's coinage is divisible into five phases, reflecting her early life, two marriages and two widowhoods. During her reign numerous issues appeared in gold, silver and base metal, many of them comprising denominations never previously struck.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-000-628-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.C4033
• Date: 1558
  
• Material: Silver; reverse slightly off-centre; moderate wear. Inscription: Obv. Crown FRAN . ET . MA . D . G . R . R . SCOTOR . D . D . VIEN; crowned shield of Dauphin + Scotland on cross potent / Rev. Cross . FECIT . VTRAQVE . VNVM . 1558 .; crowned FM monogram; c
  Coin Type: 1st issue
  Coin, half testoon
  
• Dimensions: 25.50 mm D / Die Axis: 11.0
  
• What: Coin Type: 1st issue
  Coin, half testoon
  
• Subject: Queen Street Coin Collection
  
• Who: Francis, Dauphin of France
  Lockett Collection
  Mary, Queen of Scots
  Pollexfen Collection
  
• Where: Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  
• Event:
• Description: Mary and Francis silver half-testoon, Edinburgh, 1558
  
• References:
  • 'Currency' multimedia programme NMS 1995 
  • Stewart, I.H. 'The Scottish Coinage'. Second Edition. London: Spink & Son, 1967 
• Translations:
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