Merk (coin)

James VI: half merk or noble
Crowned Scottish arms flanked by denomination: 6 and 8	Compound cross fleury, quartered with crowns and thistles.
1577 - AR 6.57 g (theorical w. 103.8 grains). Grueber 135

A merk was a Scottish silver coin. Originally the same word as a mark of silver, the merk was in circulation at the end of the 16th century and in the 17th century. It was originally valued at 13s 4d (exactly ⅔ of a pound Scots, or about one shilling in English coin), later raised to 14s Scots.^[1] In addition to merks, half-merk and quarter-merk coins were produced with values of, respectively, 7s and 3s 6d, as well as a four-merk coin of 56s (£2 16s).

The first issue weighed 103.8 grains and was 50% silver and 50% base metals,^[2] thus it contained 0.108125 troy ounces of silver, worth about £1 at modern prices.

Markland or Merkland was used to describe an amount of land in Scottish deeds and legal papers. It was based upon a common valuation of the land.

References

1. ^ English–Scottish currency converter
2. ^ Herbert Grueber: Handbook of the Coins of Great Britain and Ireland in the British Museum, Londra 1899. (reprint 1970 ISBN 1402110901)