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1 Pistole - William II
| Issuer | Scotland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1701 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Left-facing laureate and draped bust of William II (William III of England) with flowing long hair, rendered in high relief in the late Stuart style. Beneath the truncation of the bust, a rising sun over a stylized sea is depicted in the lower field, serving as a decorative device. The circumferential legend in Latin reads GVLIELMVS DEI . GRATIA ., meaning 'William by the Grace of God.' The portrait is bold and naturalistic, characteristic of late 17th-century British gold coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Milled |
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| Additional information |
The 1701 Scottish pistole was struck just months before the Act of Union negotiations began in earnest, making it one of the last gold issues of an independent Scottish coinage. William II — William III of England — had effectively governed Scotland as a subordinate kingdom for over a decade by this point, and the Edinburgh mint was already operating under severe financial strain, its gold supply erratic and its output inconsistent year to year.
The pistole denomination itself was borrowed from the French and Spanish gold coinage that had long circulated in Scottish trade. Production ceased entirely within a few years, absorbed into the unified British monetary system following the 1707 Act of Union.