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30 Shillings - James VI 4th Coinage
| Issuer | Scotland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1581-1586 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 22.90 g |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Crowned shield bearing the arms of Scotland — a lion rampant within a double tressure flory-counterflory — occupying the centre of the field. The royal cypher 'I R' (Iacobus Rex) flanks the shield on either side. The mark of value, composed of three Roman numerals 'X', is displayed with one 'X' elevated above the other two, denoting thirty shillings. The circumscribed Latin legend, interrupted by the date, runs between the beaded inner circle and the toothed outer border. |
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| Mint | Edinburgh Mint |
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| Additional information |
The 4th coinage of James VI was authorized following a significant revaluation of Scottish currency in 1578, part of ongoing efforts by the Edinburgh mint to stabilize a monetary system chronically undermined by debasement and foreign coin infiltration. The 30 shilling denomination was the largest silver value struck in this series, and the high silver fineness — unusually strong for Scottish issues of the period — reflects a deliberate policy rather than routine practice.
James was still a minor during the early part of this coinage's run, with government effectively conducted by regents. The coins were struck under the authority of the Privy Council rather than a functioning adult monarch.