Add to albumThis is the obverse of a silver half-groat minted at Edinburgh between 1489 and 1496, during the reign of James IV. The coin was worth six pence Scots.
The obverse bears a crowned, unclothed bust in a ten-arc tressure with trefoils on some cusps. The Latin inscription 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: 000-100-053-441-C
- Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
- Project:
National Museums Scotland
Project description View all records in project
- Ref: National Museums Scotland H.C2989
- Date: 1489 - 1496
Between 1489 and 1496
- Material: Silver; slightly buckled; generally moderate wear. Inscription: Obv. Cross IACOBVS : DI : GRA : REX : SCOTORVm : Q :; stops are three pellets arranged vertically; Q represents old Arabic 4; crowned, unclothed bust facing in ten-arc tressure with trefoils
Coin Type: Heavy coinage, Stewart Ib, Murray B
Coin, half groat
- Dimensions: 19.00 x 17.50 mm D / Die Axis: 3.5
- What: Coin Type: Heavy coinage, Stewart Ib, Murray B
Coin, half groat
- Subject: Queen Street Coin Collection
- Who: James IV
- Where: Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
- Event:
- Description: James IV silver half-groat, Edinburgh, 1489 - 1495
- References:
- 'Currency' multimedia programme NMS 1995
- Stewart, I.H. 'The Scottish Coinage'. Second Edition. London: Spink & Son, 1967
- Translations:
- Related Records: