Scottish Silver

Scotland has a rich and storied history of producing top-quality silver objects. In fact, at one time in history, Scotland was the world center of silver production. From roughly 1125 to 1225 A.D., mines in Durham, Cumberland, and North Umberland yielded more silver than the combined output any other nation, helping to supply Western Europe with the requisite precious metal required to build the great Gothic cathedrals of France.

The Scottish have an illustrious history of silver coins that dates back to the beginning of the silver boom, when King David I issued his own silver coins. Another important development in sterling coin production occurred roughly a century later when King David II released silver coins for the first time with a value greater than a penny.

Whether searching for coveted Scottish silver coins or tableware, there are numerous alluring items that express not only the history but the unique aesthetics of this great nation. Hamilton & Inches, founded in 1866, continues to be one of Scotland’s finest silversmith shops. In 2010, they were appointed silversmiths and clock specialists to Her Majesty the Queen.

Quick Facts

• In 2013, Lyon & Turnbull sold a Scottish George I bullet teapot for more than £14,000
• Scotland had a variety of different kinds of silver coinage throughout its history including the groat, the half groat, and the testoun
• The top-producing regions of Scottish silver are now based in Edinburgh and Glasgow, but Aberdeen, Pirth, and Elgin also boast well-established silversmithing practices