I think you'll find that the Scottish Pound (or Mark) came into being independently to the English Pound. When I don't know. The Act of Union 1707, whereby the Kingdoms of Scotland and England merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain, also included a clause for the "assimilation" of Scottish weights and measures, including currency by their English equivalents. So the English Pound or Sterling became legal tender in Scotland in 1707, however evidence in the Parish Registers of Walls shows that the "Pound Scots" was still circulating as late as the 1790s. In the 1740s, the going rate for a "bond of good behaviour" was 2 crowns or 10/- sterling. In the 1780s and 90s, the bond is £3 Scots (sometimes £4), while the sterling equivalent is 6 shillings and 8 pence. There is even a reference in 1789 that only 5/7d was received as included in the coins were "1 bad shilling and 1 bad penny" causing a shortfall from the 6/8d. (If a child was born less than nine months after marriage, the bond would be "forfeit to the session box by reason of anti-nuptial fornication".) Today, the Bank of England issues currency for England and Wales, while about five retail banks in Scotland have the right to issue currency there. Then there's northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey which al have their own currency rights. All are based on the Pound Sterling issued by the Bank of England. Cheers David, Perth, Western Australia ----- Original Message ----- From: alan spence <alan.spence@xtra.co.nz> To: <ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, November 20, 1999 4:25 AM Subject: [ORKNEY] Scots Pounds > I am aware that there a Scots pound while there was also a Sterling > pound. > Could SKS advise when the Scots pound was introduced, confirm that it > was then the equivalent of Sterling, and tell me when it disappeared. > I believe it was eventually worth only 1/12 of Sterling. I have a > reference to it as a pawn in a Birsay marriage in 1783. > Alan > alan.spence@xtra.co.nz > > > > alan.spence@xtra.co.nz > >