Abstract: Scott plays the markets of literary and economic value, making money and teaching readers how to negotiate worth by playing tales and tellers off against one another. The Fortunes of Nigel ponders whether one can circulate too freely in these markets to maintain reputation and worth. But valuation is always a gamble where success goes to those willing to stand the gain or loss. Scott plays the game at George IV's royal visit to Edinburgh, where he trades Scottish signs to increase the King's status so that he may in turn legitimize Scotland as the (supposed) land of origin and worth.

Keywords: play, market, value, circulate, worth, game, gamble, George IV, Edinburgh, origin,