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22 Shillings - Mary I 1st Period
| Issuer | Scotland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1553 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The central device features a large crowned royal cipher composed of the interlaced letters 'M' and 'R', boldly struck and surmounted by a royal crown of Gothic form with prominent fleurs-de-lis and arched elements. A cinquefoil or small floral ornament is positioned to each side of the monogram in the field, serving as decorative punctuation. The peripheral Latin legend, incorporating the date 1553, encircles the central device and is separated from it by a linear border. The overall composition is characteristic of the first period coinage of Mary Queen of Scots, reflecting the elegant Renaissance influence on Scottish hammered gold issues. |
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| Additional information |
Mary I's first coinage period in Scotland ran from her accession in 1542 through the late 1550s, though the crown's actual control over minting was complicated throughout by regency governance — first under Arran, then Mary of Guise. The 22-shilling denomination was a distinctly Scottish gold unit with no direct English equivalent, calibrated to the persistent differential between Scottish and English pound valuations rather than any attempt at parity.
Spink 5396 is among the scarcer gold issues of the reign, with surviving examples concentrated almost entirely in institutional collections.