Scottish coinage

[1] Hadrian's Wall was also regarded as a means to regulate social traffic and trade north, rather than a military defence against the northern tribes of the Caledoni.

[2] Civil settlements arose along south of the wall with shops and taverns that facilitated trade between the Empire and the north.

[1] Other sites include coins from North Uist dating to the 4th century until recently was thought to be beyond the sphere of known trade routes.

[1] Some sites include substantial silver treasure hoards most likely buried or abandoned in either Roman or native pots.

Rare examples include a base silver (potin) coin of Ptolemy XIII of Egypt, 80–51 BC[1] In 410, trade ceased as the Roman Empire withdrew from the island of Albion.

Norsemen also introduced some form of coinage, and coins from as far away as Byzantium and the Arabic countries have been found in sites in Scandinavia, including Norway which had strong links with Scotland in the early Middle Ages.

In 1136 he captured Carlisle, including its English mint and nearby silver mines from Stephen, King of England.

For the next two centuries, the continued use of a profile, as opposed to the facing portrait, was about all that distinguished Scottish coins from their English counterparts.

Robert III of Scotland continued to devalue Scottish coins, making them worth one-half of their English counterparts by 1392.

[11] Under James III of Scotland English influence of Scottish coinage gave way to Burgundian models, with both his gold rider and silver plack.

This was one of a long series of coin types which characterized continuing changes in standard and revaluations of Scottish coinage.

[13] Ordinances required Scots to turn in their old coins in exchange for new issues struck to a lower standard, thereby providing a profit to the king.

[14] James VI alone had eight issues of coins before he unified the thrones, and to a large extent the coinages, of Scotland and England.

As a result of the recoinage, foreign coins, which were frequently used alongside the local currency, stopped being legal tender on 6 October 1707.

Scottish coinage was still in circulation in the later 18th century, but the changeover was made a little easier due to common currency in the nomenclature.

Scotland is the only part of the UK where one pound notes are still in usage (although they can be found in the Isle of Man and Channel Islands).