This article is rated Start-class on Wikipedia's content assessment scale. It is of interest to the following WikiProjects:

Numismatics: British currency Mid‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject Numismatics, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of numismatics and currencies on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.NumismaticsWikipedia:WikiProject NumismaticsTemplate:WikiProject Numismaticsnumismatic Mid This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale. This article is supported by the British currency task force (assessed as Mid-importance). Scotland Low‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject Scotland, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Scotland and Scotland-related topics on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.ScotlandWikipedia:WikiProject ScotlandTemplate:WikiProject ScotlandScotland Low This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale.

By Ian Stewart (The Scottish Coinage, Spink 1955) in the first issue (1542) value was 6d, weight was 29 grains (about 1.87 g) the silver was 3 deniers (i.e. 250/1000).

--Carlo Morino aka zi' Carlo 11:31, 19 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

• This article says "According to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, The word "bawbee" is derived from the Laird of Sillebawby, a mint-master. That there was such a laird is quite certain from the Treasurer's account, September 7th, 1541, "In argento receptis a Jacobo Atzinsone, et Alexandro Orok de Sillebawby respective."". But:
  • Google search for 'Sillebawby -wikipedia' (the '-' means "exclude") shows only "about 2,090" results. A moneyer with a name sounding like "silly bawbee" sounds too good to be true. One web page calls him "the laird of Sillebawby". But where is this place Sillebawby which he is said to be of/from? What independent proof is there that he existed? I see these possibilities:
  1. It is a hoax in Wikipedia.
  2. It is an old hoax, perhaps very old, which Wikipedia has picked up and repeated.
  3. It is true.
  4. He was named or nicknamed "de Sillebawby" because he issued debased money.

  The old connection between Scotland and France, which has brought other French words into Scottish English, makes the French etymology bas billon="debased copper money" likelier-looking to me. Anthony Appleyard (talk) 14:01, 12 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]