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1/2 Lion - James II 2nd Coinage, Type II
| Issuer | Scotland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1451-1460 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 1.75 g |
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| Obverse description | Central shield bearing the lion rampant of Scotland, rendered in high relief in the Gothic style characteristic of mid-fifteenth-century Scottish hammered coinage. The shield is enclosed within a double tressure of fleurs-de-lis, and the entire central device is surrounded by a rope-style inner border. Stars and pellets ornament the field between the shield and the border. The circular Latin legend runs along the outer periphery, separated from the central device by a beaded inner circle. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
James II's second coinage followed the monetary reforms he pushed through in the early 1450s, partly in response to the chronic shortage of gold bullion circulating in Scotland and partly to assert firmer crown control over mint output at Edinburgh. The half lion occupied an awkward practical position — too valuable for everyday transactions, too small to anchor major commercial exchange — yet it was struck in meaningful quantities, likely to facilitate customs payments and cross-border trade with the Low Countries.
James II was killed in 1460 when a cannon exploded beside him at the siege of Roxburgh, abruptly ending the coinage series.