Notes on Gold Coins exhibited at the Dryhurgh 



by Mr Er shine Stirling, Newtown St. Boswells— 

 By the Rev. George Gunn, M.A., Stichill. 



Mb Stirling first showed two gold coins, which had been found 

 by his father, when removing some debris from the top of St. 

 Modan's Chapel, Dryburgh, and which, along with seven others, 

 had been enclosed in a small box. They were given up to the 

 Earl of Buchan, who returned two to the finder, which have 

 remained in the possession of the family since that time, pro- 

 bably for seventy years. 



These coins are Jacobus Demies, and of the date of James I., 

 1406 — 1436-7. The reason of their name is unknown. They 

 are not the halves of any recognised Scottish coin. Perhaps 

 they are akin to the half Noble of the contemporary English 

 currency. Their recognised value was 3/4 in 1451, 6/- in 1456, 

 and 6/8 in 1475. They weigh 22 carats to the ounce (which 

 represented £27 10/- of Scottish money), and show an average 

 of about 51 grains troy. 



On the obverse the type is the Scottish Lion on a lozenge 

 shield with a crown above. On the reverse the type is a saltire 

 cross between two fleur-de-lis within an orle fleurie of six 

 crescents, with a quatrefoil on each of the spandrels. The 

 Eoman numeral I. is on the centre of the saltire. 



The motto is the same on the obverse of both: — Jacobus De 

 Gra., Bex Sc; on the reverse Salvum Fac Populum Tuum Dne. 



Mr Stirling also showed another gold coin which had been 

 found at Wrangholm, near the Brotherstones in the parish of 

 Mertoun. It was a half Sword and Sceptre piece, or a Three 

 pound piece of James VI. dated 1602. The Act of Parliament 

 11th September 1601, authorising their coinage orders that 

 "the saidis peiceis haueand on the ane syde ane scepto'' and 

 ane suorde in forme of Sanct Androis croce, and the croun 

 abone thame, and ane thrissell in euerie syd, with the zeir of 

 God benoth all contenit within the Inner ring and with the 

 superscriptioun Salus populi Suprema lex, with ane litle roiss 

 at the begynning of the ditone on ather syde, and on the vther 

 syde his maiesteis amies within ane scheild and ane croun with 

 this circumscriptioun Jacobus sextus D.G.E. Scotorum."* 



* Acta Pari. Jacobi VI., edited by T. Thomson, 1816, vol. iv., p. 257. 

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