| Brief Description |
This rare hammered silver groat was minted during the reign of James I of Scotland, who ruled from 1406 to 1437. The obverse features a full-faced bust of James I with a sceptre on his left side and a fleur-de-lis under his chin. Around the outside edge is the legend "IACOBVS DEI GRACIA REX SC".
James I was one of the Stewart kings of Scotland, he was the third son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. James was born in 1394 and by the time he was eight years old both his elder brothers had died, one from natural causes and the other through nefarious means.
His road to be sovereign was fraught with difficulty. In February 1406, James was involved in a skirmish which forced him to take refuge in the castle of the Bass Rock. He remained there until mid-March, when, trying to ensure the longevity of his life, he boarded a vessel bound for France. Unfortunately on 22 March while off the English coast, pirates captured the ship and delivered James to Henry IV of England. Two weeks later, on 4 April the ailing Robert III died, and the 12-year-old uncrowned King of Scots began an 18-year detention as a hostage with the courts of Henry IV and later Henry V.
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