Esterling

Sterling. [L. Lat. esterlingus, sterlingus.] The silver penny of England, (denarius argenteus.) Spelman, voc.

Esterlingus.

See Denarius. Good money, (moneta proba), as distinguished from bad (reproba.) Spelman. Lawful money in general.

Id.

Standard silver money

Argent del allay del esterling. Artic. sup. Chart. c.

20.

According to Spelman and Dufresne, this word was derived from the Esterlingi, or Easterlings (people from the East,) as those Saxons were anciently called who inhabited that district of Germany afterwards occupied by the Hanse Towns and their appendages, and by whom the arts of assaying and coining silver are said to have been introduced into England.

1 Bl. Com. 278, note.

Lord Coke observes that the esterling or sterling penny took the name of the workmen, being Esterlings, that both coined it and gave it the allay.

2 Inst. 575.