[MR] BBC: Rare Scottish Coin Up For Auction

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots,

BBC Scotland is offering a brief story about a rare Scottish coin which
will go up for auction on 19 September. Perhaps "unique" would be a better
term, as it is the only known example.

The coin is unusual because it does not feature a "portrait" of a king.
Rather, it bears a stylized image of a castle.

The coin proclaims that it was minted at Carlisle in Cumbria (now England).
Although undated, it is thought to have been struck between 1136 and 1141
during the reign of King David I (ruled Scotland from 1124-1153). It may
commemorate his conquest and capture of Carlisle, and the castle image is
thought to represent Carlisle Castle.

Alternatively, the castle may be a stylized Templar castle, as David is
believed to have had close relations with that order (or this may be
wishful thinking by modern Templar geeks).

The coin is expected to fetch between £15,000 and £20,000, though such
estimates are often exceeded. Let's hope that this ends up in a museum
collection, rather than in the hands of some shadowy billionaire. It
certainly meets the definition of treasure, and the Crown may slap an
export hold on the coin if it is in danger of leaving Great Britain.

The coin's story is found at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8n6k7zzplo
 .

More on King David is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_I_of_Scotland .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep Merry Rose relevant and in business.