1 Groat - Robert III Heavy Coinage, 2nd Issue

Robert III's coinage is inseparable from his political incapacity. Crippled by a horse kick before his accession, he ceded effective governance first to his brother Robert, Duke of Albany, then to his son David — both of whom used that authority aggressively against each other. The 2nd Issue of the Heavy Coinage falls squarely within this period of proxy rule, minted at Edinburgh and Aberdeen under a king who reportedly asked to be buried in a dunghill.

The "Heavy" designation reflects a weight standard subsequently abandoned when the 3rd Issue reduced the groat's silver content, a concession to ongoing bullion shortages that plagued Scottish minting throughout the late 14th century.