A Royal Bawbee

In 1563, Mary, Queen of Scots spent three nights at Rossdhu Castle on the shores of Loch Lomond and home to Clan Colquhoun. Her visit was part of a royal progress through the West of Scotland.

During her stay with the Colquhoun clan, Mary knighted their host, John Colquhoun of Luss. Her Royal household famously recorded dining on a fish supper on July 17, which included salmon, ling, and trout cooked in butter.

This Bawbee (or Baubie) coin, currency at the time, has a worth much more than its face value, as a treasured reminder of a very special trip.