Bareheaded Noble Public Deposited
A gold coin of Scotland, first issued in the reign of David II (1329- 1371), and almost identical in type with the contemporary English coin of the same name. There appear to be no further is- sues of Nobles until the second coinage of James VI, when one was struck with the date 1580, sometimes called the Bareheaded Noble. In the fourth coinage of this mon- arch occurs the Thistle Noble (q.v.).
The silver Noble of Scotland is more gen- erally known as the Half Merk. It orig- inally weighed one hundred and five grains and first appeared in the second coinage of James VI, with dates from 1572 to 1580, and a half Noble or quarter Merk was is- sued at the same time. The last appear- ance of the Noble in Scottish coinage is in the reign of Charles II, from 1664 to 1675, inclusive.
- Frey's Dictionary (American Journal of Numismatics, Vol. 50, 1916)