Sums of Money

Scotland had its own currency prior to the Act of Union in 1707: the pound Scots. From the fourteenth century until the end of the sixteenth century debasement of the coinage resulted in the divergence of the Scottish and English currencies. In 1560, 5 pounds Scots equalled 1 pound sterling. When James VI succeeded to the throne of England (in 1603) the exchange rate for Scots pounds to sterling was fixed at 12:1. The merk (worth 13 shillings and 4 pence) was mostly a unit of account, but was occasionally minted. Scotland periodically suffered from a shortage of coin, which is one reason why references to continental coins, such as the rex dollar can be found in testaments during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, especially in Scottish burghs. Scottish currency was withdrawn after the Act of Union in 1707, but rents, wages and the value of agricultural produce continued to be stated in Scots money.

In testaments, sums of money usually appear as abbreviations for pounds, shillings and pence. These abbreviations are normally written superscript (that is, above the other writing in that line of text) in the form:

'lb' or 'li' (with a stroke through it) signifying the Latin word 'libra' (meaning pounds);
's' (or double s) signifying the Latin word 'solidus' (meaning shilling)
'd' signifying the Latin word 'denarius' (meaning penny).

In the example below the sum is 10 li. 13 s. 4 d.

Example sum is 10 li. 13 s. 4 d.

Sometimes the abbreviation for shillings will be the letters 's' and 'h' ligatured, or the symbol for 'sis', which looks like the German 'scharfes s', as in the example below: 13 s[hilling]is. 4d.

Example sum is 13 s[hilling]is. 4d.

To convert an amount in Scots pounds to Sterling and to carry out addition in pounds, shillings and pence, please see the Scots Currency Converter on www.scan.org.uk.

Latin Numerals
The digits 1-10 in Roman numerals are: i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, x. So much you learned in Latin class at school. However, in Scots documents in the period 1500-1750 you are likely to come up against some variations.

Firstly, the last 'i' digit in any series of 'i's will invariably be rendered a 'j', e.g.: ij = 2, vj = 6, xiij = 13

Secondly, numbers like 4 (iv) and 9 (ix) are just as likely to be rendered iiij and viiij. So: xiiij = 14, and viiij = 9

Other Roman numerals frequently used are: 'L' (= 50) and 'C' (= 100). But note that a contraction mark was often written after the 'C' ( e.g. C/ ) to represent the Latin word C[entus].

Also, look out for the use of a superscript XX to represent a 'score' (20), particularly in combination with other Roman numerals, e.g.: C/ iij xx iiij = 164 (i.e. C/ = 100, iijxx = three score = 60, and iiij = 4).

The next example transcribed reads Lxvij li vj s viij d: that is, '67 pounds, 6 shillings and 8 pence'.