LAST Saturday outside the Baker’s Oven in Dumfries town centre, families, local shoppers and tourists alike were entertained by lively Scottish music from John and Rona Carson and Ukeleles for Yes.

Passers-by were intrigued by a large replica of an ancient coin and asked what it was all about.

The answer was ‘The Wealth of Scotland, Past and Present’, a photographic exhibition about the rich history of Scottish currency and the Dumfries Mint, plus a display about the wealth and assets of Scotland.

Organised by Dumfries and Galloway Pensioners for Independence, the display included images of Scottish coins from the collection in Dumfries Museum who generously gave permission for their use.

There was also a rare opportunity to see copies of a frieze of Scottish Kings and Queens, by Scottish artist William Burn Murdoch, a fellow student and contemporary of EA Hornel.

An original edition of the frieze lithograph is owned by Carolyn Traill, who kindly allowed us to photograph it.

The previous evening Gordon Macintyre Kemp, chief executive of Business for Scotland, gave an excellent talk on Pensions, Currency and the real wealth of Scottish assets.

An attentive audience heard about a future, positive Scottish economic path, and interesting discussions followed, which perhaps will have shown doubters that Scotland can prosper as an independent nation, as it did in the past.