The mark was originally a unit of weight for gold and silver common throughout western Europe, and was equal to 8 troy ounces. Variations throughout the Middle Ages were, however, considerable.

Like the pound (12 troy ounces), the mark was also used as a unit of currency, e.g. in many Shakespearean plays set in medieval England, and in various incarnations in Germany until the adoption of the euro in 1999.

See also:

• Deutschmark
• Reichsmark