David I, king of Scots, was the first monarch of Scotland to issue coins. He took advantage of the political situation of the Anarchy in England to take over territory in Northumberland. In Carlisle near the Scottish border was a mint where two moneyers were producing coins for Henry I, and ultimately would also produce coins for Stephen. David took over the mint in around 1136 and held it until at least the Battle of the Standard and the peace treaty of 1139. During this early period coins were only struck in Carlisle, in later years David would establish Scottish mints elsewhere and coinage would continue until the union. Coins of David are rare, and there are several types. The first type, in imitation of the last type of Henry I, is historically significant as the first coin of Scotland. It is rare and very rough, even by the standards of the day. Here is my example- David I Mint: Carlisle Moneyer Erebald O: DA[VI]D [REX] R: EREBA[LD O]N C[A]RD Spink 5001 These coins are rough, and even the plate coin in Spink, one of the finest known, is messy- I’m only aware of one die pair for these coins, and they are very rare with probably only a dozen or so known.
Congrats on such a wonderful coin @Nap I remember when one of these pennies came up for auction at Spink a few years ago and an incredible bidding war broke out. The penny hammered at 5 or 6 times the estimate. Now you need to add a penny of Henry of Scotland.
I have a cut halfpenny of Henry but I will at some point try to find a full penny that doesn’t bankrupt me. The harder one will be Malcolm IV.
Hi Nap, You have several coins of Eadberht. I am a serious researcher of his coinage, with two publications to date and more on the way. May I ask if you will send me your photos and give me permission to use them in my research? You can contact me via private message for my email address (edits by moderator in italics) . Thanks in advance for your attention to this. Ron
Well it’s been a few years but I did find a coin of Malcolm IV, a cut half. Given the rarity of Malcolm’s coinage, I was willing to consider anything. The obverse legend is kaput and you can’t really see Malcolm’s face, but the coin is easily recognizable for its type, and attribution can be confirmed with a clear die link to a museum coin. The last coin of Malcolm to sell publicly was in an auction about 20 years ago. They don’t pop up often!
Very historically interesting, if crude, coins. This much more common penny from about a century and a half later is my first (and presently only) Scottish coin.
