Pound Scots Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Pound Scots

Pund Scottis (Middle Scots)
Punnd na h-Alba

Gold Sword and Sceptre coin of 1601, with a denomination of £6 Scots

User(s)

Kingdom of Scotland
Earldom of Orkney

Subunit

²⁄₃

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s. or /–

pounds

David II (1329–1371): penny

+DAVID DEI GRACIA, crowned head left; sceptre before	[REX] SCT TOR Vm+, long cross; mullets in quarters.
18mm; 1.31 g; circa 1351–1357.

The pound Scots (also called Pund in Scots) was the money used in Scotland. It was used before 1707. That year, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England joined together. This created the Kingdom of Great Britain through the Treaty of Union.

The pound Scots was first used in the 12th century by King David I. It was based on a system where one pound was equal to 20 shillings. Each shilling was then divided into 12 pence.

Over time, the value of the Scottish pound became less than the English pound. This happened because the Scottish coins had less precious metal in them. By the time of King James III, one pound Scots was only worth five shillings of English money.

Silver coins called merks were also made. A merk was worth 13 shillings and 4 pence Scots. This was two-thirds of a pound Scots.

When King James VI of Scotland also became King James I of England in 1603, the coins were changed. They were made to look more like English coins. At this point, 12 pounds Scots was equal to 1 pound English.

No new gold coins were made between 1638 and 1700. But new silver coins were made from 1664 until 1707.

After the Acts of Union 1707, the pound Scots was officially replaced. It was swapped for English money at a rate of 12 Scots pounds to 1 English pound. This meant 1 pound Scots was worth 20 English pence. Even though it was replaced, people in Scotland still used the pound Scots to count money for much of the 18th century.

Today, Scotland does not have its own separate money. However, three big Scottish banks print their own banknotes. These notes are in English pounds. They can be used anywhere in the United Kingdom. But they are most often seen and used in Scotland.

Coins of the Pound Scots

Many different types of coins were used as part of the pound Scots. Here are some of them:

Pistole – This was a gold coin worth 12 pounds Scots.
Dollar – This coin replaced the ryal. It was worth 60 shillings Scots during the time of James VI.
Ryal – An older gold coin from 1565.
Crown or Lion – A gold coin from the time of King James I.
Half-crown, Demi-Lion or Demys – These were smaller gold coins, also from King James I's time.
Ducat or "bonnet" – A gold coin worth 40 shillings, made in 1539 during the reign of King James V.
Mark or merk – This was a gold coin. The word "markland" came from this coin.
Noble – A gold coin worth half a mark. It was first used by King David II in 1357 and brought back by King Robert III.
Unicorn – A gold coin worth 18 shillings Scots. It was made between 1484 and 1485 during the reign of King James III.
Half-unicorn – A gold coin worth 9 shillings Scots, from the time of King James IV.
Testoun – This was a silver coin from 1553. It was special because it was the first Scottish coin made using a new machine process.
Bawbee – A coin made of a metal mix called billon. It was worth six pence from 1537.
Shilling – A common coin.
Groat – A silver coin worth four pence, first made in 1357. The word "groatland" came from this coin.
Half-groat – A silver coin worth two pence, also from 1357.
Turner – A billon coin worth two pence during James VI's reign. Later, it was made of copper.
Bodle – A copper coin worth two pence, from the time of King Charles II.
Hardhead – Also called a Lion. This was a billon coin used during the reigns of Mary and James VI.
Penny – One of the oldest coins, dating back to David I. It was later made of copper. The word "pennyland" came from this coin.
Halfpennies – At first, these were literally half of a penny. Later, they became their own minted coins around 1280. They were also later made of copper.
Farthing or quarter-penny – These were originally quarters of pennies. Like halfpennies, they became their own coins around 1280. They were also later made of copper.
Plack – This coin was worth four pence Scots. By 1707, it was worth one-third of an English penny.

Pound Scots facts for kids

Coins of the Pound Scots

See also