David II struck this noble — Scotland's first gold coin — following his release from English captivity in 1357, the same year as the Treaty of Berwick. The ransom terms demanded 100,000 merks payable over ten years, and the introduction of a domestic gold coinage was directly tied to the fiscal machinery required to service that debt.
The issue closely follows the English noble of Edward III, an intentional alignment that eased acceptance in cross-border transactions where the ransom payments themselves would flow.
David II struck this noble — Scotland's first gold coin — following his release from English captivity in 1357, the same year as the Treaty of Berwick. The ransom terms demanded 100,000 merks payable over ten years, and the introduction of a domestic gold coinage was directly tied to the fiscal machinery required to service that debt.
The issue closely follows the English noble of Edward III, an intentional alignment that eased acceptance in cross-border transactions where the ransom payments themselves would flow.