Irish Coins & Tokens

-------->Remember, postage is included<--------

 

 

Irish / American (Colonial)

 

Halfpennies& Farthings

 

WI-8100:  1674 Irish-American St Patrick Copper Farthing.  Brass anti counterfeiting plug very much in situ with excellent detail both sides.  No damage or repairs.  Spink 6571.  Struck on a large flan (25mm diameter) but still termed “Small Size”.  This is the best grade example I had ever handled, even better than WI-7576 which some of you may remember.  Collectors of this issue will be aware that they were struck in Dublin on soft metal and that virtually all extant examples, and there aren’t really that many in total, are grim in the extreme.  A rare and desirable coin in any grade but clearly much more so this coin.  £975

 

WI-7126:  1674 Irish-American St Patrick Copper Farthing.  Brass anti counterfeiting plug very much in situ with excellent detail both sides.  No damage or repairs.  Spink 6569.  Struck on a large flan (25mm diameter) but still termed “Small Size”.  This was possibly the best grade example I had ever handled until WI-7576 came my way!  Collectors of this issue will be aware that they were struck in Dublin on soft metal and that virtually all extant examples, and there aren’t really that many in total, are grim in the extreme.  A rare and desirable coin in any grade but clearly much more so this coin.  £785

 

WI-6648:  1722 Type 1 Irish American William Wood Copper Halfpenny.  About VF.  Rare in this grade, rarer still being this first issue.  £355

 

WI-5627:  1760 Irish “VOCE POPULI” Copper Halfpenny.  Type 9.  Ex Colin Cooke collection.  £320

 

WI-5629:  1760 Irish “VOCE POPULI” Copper Halfpenny.  Type 4.  Ex Colin Cooke collection.  £325

 

 

 

Irish "Confederate Catholics" Kilkenny Issues

 

 

 

 

Irish The Great Rebellion, Coinages of the Lords Justices Issue - "Ormonde Money"

 

WI-9035:  Irish Charles 1st Hammered Silver ORMONDE Groat.  The Great Rebellion in Ireland.  Issued by the Lords Justices at Dublin and termed Ormond Money due to the Earl of Ormonde being appointed Lieutenant of Ireland in 1643.  This issue demonstrated allegiance to the monarch by incorporating the king’s crown on the obverse.  Issued 1643-1644. Large C•R; crown above; all within linear and beaded border / Large IIII; D above; all within linear and beaded border. Spink 6548.  This was the final coinage of the rebellion period to be issued.  The crude fashion with which this coin has been cut, together with the rudimentary die-sinking, and the indifferent strike, is somewhat reminiscent of the Charles 1st besieged issue just across the Irish Sea in Carlisle a year or so later.  £235

 

 

 

Irish James II Civil War Issues - "Gun Money"

 

Crowns

 

WI-7550:  1690 Irish Gun Money Full Crown.  James II emergency Civil War coinage of 1689-91.  Spink 6578.  Overstruck on the large Gun Money halfcrowns as by 1690, these were obsolete; replaced by the small size halfcrowns.  The obverse of the Gun Money crown (and it is just the crowns) has similarities to the earlier Charles 1st halfcrowns and crowns, which I’m sure was far from accidental.  It won’t have escaped readers’ attention that Gun Money coinage is currently riding high in terms of popularity.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  £285

 

WI-9066:  1690 Irish Gun Money Full Crown.  James II emergency Civil War coinage of 1689-91.  Spink 6578.  Overstruck on the large Gun Money halfcrowns as by 1690, these were obsolete; replaced by the small size halfcrowns.  The obverse of the Gun Money crown (and it is just the crowns) has similarities to the earlier Charles 1st halfcrowns and crowns, which I’m sure was far from accidental.  It won’t have escaped readers’ attention that Gun Money coinage is currently riding high in terms of popularity.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  £295 RESERVED (T.H.16-1-25)

 

 

 

Halfcrowns

 

WI-7675:  1690 (May) James II Irish Gun Money Half Crown.  Small-sized halfcrown.  Spink 6580c.  Limerick bust.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  If today’s money had still been based on the value of the coin in your hand being worth its face value in precious metal, then the Chancellor in 2009 would perhaps have done something very similar!  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  £275

 

WI-7482:  March 1689 Irish Gun Money Half Crown.  A unique example of an Irish coin dated by year AND month!  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  If today’s money had still been based on the value of the coin in your hand being worth its face value in precious metal, then the Chancellor in 2009 would perhaps have done something very similar!  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  £115

 

WI-7660:  1690 (May) James II Irish Gun Money Half Crown.  Small-sized halfcrown.  Spink 6580c.  Limerick bust.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  If today’s money had still been based on the value of the coin in your hand being worth its face value in precious metal, then the Chancellor in 2009 would perhaps have done something very similar!  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  £345

 

WI-7661:  1690 (August) James II Irish Gun Money Half Crown.  Large-sized halfcrown.  Spink 6579b.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  If today’s money had still been based on the value of the coin in your hand being worth its face value in precious metal, then the Chancellor in 2009 would perhaps have done something very similar!  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  £225 RESERVED (T.H.16-1-25)

 

 

Shillings

 

WI-5443:  1689 Irish Gun Money Shilling.  Struck August 1689.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  If today’s money had still been based on the value of the coin in your hand being worth its face value in precious metal, then the Chancellor in 2009 would perhaps have done something very similar!  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  £95

 

 

Sixpences

 

WI-7659:  1689 (November) James II Irish Gun Money Sixpence.  Rarer denomination.  Spink 6583f.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  If today’s money had still been based on the value of the coin in your hand being worth its face value in precious metal, then the Chancellor in 2009 would perhaps have done something very similar!  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  £165

 

WI-7734:  1689 Irish Gun Money SIXPENCE under James II.  Struck January 1689.  Spink 6583H.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  If today’s money had still been based on the value of the coin in your hand being worth its face value in precious metal, then the Chancellor in 2009 would perhaps have done something very similar!  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  The sixpence is a rarer denomination.  £195

 

WI-9067:  1689 Irish Gun Money SIXPENCE under James II.  Struck January 1689.  Spink 6583H.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  If today’s money had still been based on the value of the coin in your hand being worth its face value in precious metal, then the Chancellor in 2009 would perhaps have done something very similar!  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  The sixpence is a rarer denomination.  £225

 

 

 

Irish James II Civil War Issues - "Pewter Money"

 

WI-8174:  1690 Irish James II Emergency Pewter Money Halfpenny.  Issued as part of the Gun Money Civil War coinage, but very much on the tail-end when the supply of “latten” or scrap base metal was very in dire shortage.  Things were getting so bad that a warrant was issued for the coining of two guns (presumably obsolete ones) from Dublin castle.  It then got worse still: writing to Mary of Modena, James II's wife in France, the duke of Tyrconnell (the lord lieutenant of Ireland) included in a list of 'things we cannot subsist here without' a request that 'forty guns may be sent us to coine into money'.  At the same time that brass latten was becoming almost impossible to source, the public were coming to the very end of their already thinly stretched patience with this non-money.  Their contempt for the coins and those who had issued them was unlimited, and they talked of 'their Tinkerly Treasure' and 'their brass imaginary coin made only valuable by the magic of their priests'.  This was never more so than during the Pewter Money period.  In January 1691, the Irish finally admitted that nothing was going to restore the value of their emergency coinages.  They announced that the brass & pewter would be withdrawn from circulation on 15 March. Those who had emergency coinage were to bring them to the treasury where they would be given receipts which would entitle them to full repayment when James was restored to his throne.  Most people knew that neither was likely to happen.  This pewter issue, the “successor” to Gun Money, had a copper alloy plug.  It was incredibly susceptible to both wear and corrosion.  Very few examples remain extant and hardly any of them are in anything like this grade.  Type I, Spink 6591.  Readers may be interested to know that the rare 1690 pewter money halfpenny issue in silver is all a later re-strike, probably done in France some time later.  What little precious metals they had at this time went to pay the troops in France because they refused to accept the Latten or Pewter coinage.  Further, all silver and gold Gun Money proofs are again later re-strikes using genuine dies.  A particularly pleasing reverse, better than that of the Spink plate coin and overall, on a par with that coin, it being the very best they could source with their huge resources.  Rare and rarer so in this grade.  £995

 

 

 

Irish James II Civil War Issues - "Siege  of Limerick" Money

 

WI-6888:  1691 (this coin undated – read on!) Limerick Besieged Copper Irish Halfpenny.  Limerick was besieged in 1690-91 with no fresh metal available to mint coinage.  As a result, they gathered in as much of the large Gun Money shillings (from 1689-90) as they could and over-struck them with the new "Limerick Besieged" dies.  It is interesting to note that the old theory of “large shillings being halfpennies; small shillings farthings” has been resolved.  It would appear that large Gun Money shillings were still used to make these Limerick halfpence pieces (evidenced so clearly on this coin) but the supposed Limerick farthings are actually still Limerick halfpennies but struck on virgin flans (presumably when they ran out of Gun Money large shillings) that were slightly smaller in flan, perhaps as a money saving exercise?  This coin is the most unusual Limerick halfpenny I have ever seen:

 

Obverse:

1. The central crown of the reverse gun money host coin can clearly be seen, inverted 180 degrees.

2. The V is IACOBVS is an inverted A whereas it was a definite V on the obverse die itself.

 

Reverse:

1. The king's hair of the host coin can clearly be seen, again inverted 180 degrees.

2. There is no date (1691) whatsoever as IACOBVS (and note the V is a V, not an inverted A) still remains.

3. The N of HIBERNIA, always inverted on the die, looks more like an A with a vertical line to the right.

 

A truly unique and extremely interesting coin!  Spink 6594.  £465

 

WSC-7163:  1691 Irish “Limerick Besieged” James II Copper Halfpenny.  Limerick was besieged in 1690-91 with no fresh metal available to mint coinage.  As a result, they gathered in as much of the large Gun Money shillings (from 1689-90) as they could and over-struck them with the new "Limerick Besieged" dies.  This example having much of the original host coin still visible – a desirable characteristic.  Spink 6594.  It is interesting to note that the old theory of “large shillings being halfpennies; small shillings farthings” has been resolved.  It would appear that large Gun Money shillings were still used to make these Limerick halfpence pieces (evidenced so clearly on this coin) but the supposed Limerick farthings are actually still Limerick halfpennies but struck on virgin flans (presumably when they ran out of Gun Money large shillings) that were slightly smaller in flan, perhaps as a money saving exercise?  A most interesting and historical coin.  £185

 

 

 

"Hammered" Coinage

 

 

King John (as Lord of Ireland)

 

WI-9032:  John (as Lord) Irish Medieval Hammered Silver Halfpenny.  Listed in reference books as pennies but circulated at halfpence (the halfpennies duly circulated as farthings).  Second DOM[inus] coinage with obverse legend ending -OM, c.1185/1190 and no later than 1208/9.  Waterford mint; Walter as moneyer.  With a cross potent as opposed to a cross pommée reverse, this is a Group 1b coin, Spink 6210.  Prince John (his father still being very much alive at this point) was given Lordship of Ireland in 1177.  He finally visited in 1185 which coincided with the first (excessively rare) issue.  This later issue followed on from that.  In 1208, John became king, so heralding the third "Rex" coinage.  Waterford is a rarer mint for this issue.  £385

Provenance

Ex M.J. McKeever collection

 

WI-8172:  John (as Lord) Irish Medieval Hammered Silver Halfpenny.  Listed in reference books as pennies but circulated at halfpence (the halfpennies duly circulated as farthings).  Second DOM[inus] coinage with obverse legend ending -OM, c.1185/1190 and no later than 1208/9.  Waterford mint: [+GE]FREI ON W[--].  With a cross potent as opposed to a cross pommée reverse, this is a Group 1b coin, Spink 6210.  Prince John (his father still being very much alive at this point) was given Lordship of Ireland in 1177.  He finally visited in 1185 which coincided with the first (excessively rare) issue.  This later issue followed on from that.  In 1208, John became king, so heralding the third "Rex" coinage.  Waterford is a rarer mint for this issue.  £385

Provenance

Ex M.J. McKeever collection

 

WI-8173:  John (as Lord) Irish Medieval Hammered Silver Halfpenny.  Listed in reference books as pennies but circulated at halfpence (the halfpennies duly circulated as farthings).  Second DOM[inus] coinage with obverse legend ending -DOM, c.1185/1190 and no later than 1208/9.  Dublin mint: TOMAS [ON D]VV.  With a cross pommée as opposed to a cross potent reverse, this is the rarer Group 2b coin, Spink 6213.  Prince John (his father still being very much alive at this point) was given Lordship of Ireland in 1177.  He finally visited in 1185 which coincided with the first (excessively rare) issue.  This later issue followed on from that.  In 1208, John became king, so heralding the third "Rex" coinage.  £385

Provenance

Ex M.J. McKeever collection

 

 

 

King John (as King  of Ireland)

 

Penny

 

WI-8047:  Irish King John Medieval Hammered Silver Penny - Choice.  Third "REX" coinage, ROBERD as moneyer at the Dublin mint.  Spink 6228.  An exceptionally nice grade coin - attractively toned and with much eye-appeal.  £495

 

WI-7943:  Irish King John Medieval Hammered Silver Penny - Choice.  Third "REX" coinage, ROBERD as moneyer at the Dublin mint.  Spink 6228.  An exceptionally nice grade coin - attractively toned and with much eye-appeal.  £495

 

 

Halfpenny

 

WI-7728:  John, as King of Ireland, Medieval Hammered Silver Halfpenny.  Third REX coinage, circa 1199 - 1216.  Dublin mint with ROBERD as the moneyer.  Spink 6231.  I have a lot of time for Coincraft’s informative and sometimes insightful comments (less so their pricing although to be fair, it’s an old publication) and they have not let the collector down on this coin – see what they say here.  As presentable an example of this rarer denomination as you’re likely to find.  £285

 

 

 

Henry III

 

WI-7942:  Irish Henry III Medieval Voided Long Cross Hammered Silver Penny.  Class 1a, RICARD as moneyer at the Dublin mint.  Spink 6235.  An unusually nice example from this rarer Irish monarch.  £285

 

WI-5929:  Irish Henry III Hammered Silver Voided Long Cross Penny.  Class 1b, RICARD of Dublin – the moneyer Ricard thought to be the London moneyer Richard Bonaventure operating in absentia.  Spink 6236.  A very long reign but actually a remarkably short issue because the Dublin mint started to issue coinage in 1251 and then in 1253-54, the Dublin mint was closed.  You would imagine that Irish coinage would be for Irish consumption but unusually, large quantities of the Dublin coinage (and Dublin was the only mint in operation under Henry III) were exported to England and the Continent.  Even though this was such a short mint run, a great deal of the coinage left Ireland to England and the Continent.  The famous Brussels’ Hoard of 1908 consisted of roughly 64,000 continental coins but also 81,000 English, Scottish and Irish silver pennies.  Of the latter, 16,000 were Irish Henry III – that’s an astounding 20% of all non Continental coinage, in a hoard found in Belgium of all places, being Irish.  This is one of the best examples of an Irish Henry III penny that I’ve had in a long while.  £225

 

WI-7244:  Henry III Hammered Silver Irish Penny.  Type IIa, RICARD.ON.DIVE – Dublin mint – the moneyer Ricard thought to be the London moneyer Richard Bonaventure operating in absentia.  Spink 6240.  A very long reign but actually a remarkably short issue because the Dublin mint started to issue coinage in 1251 and then in 1253-54, the Dublin mint was closed.  You would imagine that Irish coinage would be for Irish consumption but unusually, large quantities of the Dublin coinage (and Dublin was the only mint in operation under Henry III) were exported to England and the Continent.  Even though this was such a short mint run, a great deal of the coinage left Ireland to England and the Continent.  The famous Brussels’ Hoard of 1908 consisted of roughly 64,000 continental coins but also 81,000 English, Scottish and Irish silver pennies.  Of the latter, 16,000 were Irish Henry III – that’s an astounding 20% of all non Continental coinage, in a hoard found in Belgium of all places, being Irish.  This is one of the best examples of an Irish Henry III penny that I’ve had in a long while.  This coin would win no beauty contest but it should be acknowledged that Spink 6240 dies were course in nature.  £125

 

 

 

Edward I

 

Pennies

 

 

Halfpennies

 

 

Farthings

 

WI-7658:  Edward 1st Medieval Irish Hammered Silver Round Farthing.  Early issues of 1279-84 (open C and E).  Dublin mint, Spink 6255.  A tiny coin and therefore a much magnified image.  £165

 

WI-9033:  Edward 1st Irish Medieval Hammered Round FARTHING.  Second coinage, type 1, the rarer Waterford mint - only Dublin and Waterford struck farthings and only Dublin struck them for the late Edward 1st issue (the issue in between those two struck no farthings).  Spink 6256.  A rare coin.  £195

 

 

 

Edward IV

 

Sun & Roses Issue

 

WI-5279:  Irish Edward IV Hammered Silver Penny.  Sun & Rose type, 1479 – 1483.  Strong portrait, some legend remaining.   Interesting die flaw on obverse.  Burns’ S-2 Dublin.  £225

 

 

 

Cross & Pellets “HEAVY” issue

 

Pence

 

WI-5866:  Irish Edward IV Hammered Silver Penny.  Rarer Heavy coinage of 1465-70.  No obverse marks.  Bust C, likely Dublin mint.  It is thought that these coins were not always heavily clipped, rather they were full size dies struck on very short flans.  £65

 

 

 

Cross & Pellets “LIGHT” issue

 

Pence

 

WI-5878:  Irish Edward IV Hammered Silver Penny.  Dublin mint, 1470-78 issue.  Portrait style E, Dublin mint, Burns’ DU-1.  £65

 

WI-5879:  Irish Edward IV Hammered Silver Penny.  Dublin mint, 1470-78 issue.  Pellets by neck, Dublin mint, Burns’ DU-5.  £65

 

WI-5920:  Irish Edward IV Hammered Silver Penny.  Light cross & pellets issue of 1473-79.  Burns’ DU-6, Dublin.  Spink 6365.  £79

 

WI-7831:  Unrecorded Irish Edward IV Hammered Silver Penny.  Light cross & pellets issue of 1473-79.  Dublin mint.  Spink ----, Burns ----.  An unrecorded coin with Cinquefoils by the crown on the obverse and a Quatrefoil in the centre of the reverse.  Not recorded in Burns, which is the definitive guide to Irish Medieval pennies, being now into the fifth issue.  Obviously a great rarity, perhaps even unique.  £275

 

 

 

Richard III

 

 

 

Henry VII

 

WI-8009:  Irish Henry VII Hammered Silver Geraldin Groat.  Three Crowns coinage, type IV, Geraldine issue of August to October 1487 only.  Kildare.  Crude Saltires or Crosses either side of the crowns, no "h" below - Spink 6432.  The Fitzgeralds of Kildare were a powerful family who took control for a brief period after Lambert Simnel's abortive attempt to win the crown.  The reverse legend, DOMINUS YBERNIE, means Lord of Ireland.  This is a rare issue and rarely, if ever, found in better than fine condition.  Sold with a couple of tickets.  £465

 

WI-7868:  Henry VII Irish Hammered Silver Early Tudfor Groat.  Late portrait issue coinage of 1496-1505.  "CIVI TAS DVBL InIE" reading - Dublin mint, Spink 6451.  Initial mark Lis, broad portrait, very much double-punched, which was a definite characteristic of this particular group due to issues with the shallow nature of the dies.  £435

 

 

 

Henry VIII

 

WI-9063:  Henry VIII with Anne Boleyn Hammered Silver Irish Groat.  Issued in commemoration of Henry’s marriage to Anne Boleyn, the second and probably most famous of his six wives.  Spink 6472.  The rarer First (1st) Harp Issue, 1534-40 and the rarest of the three wives mentioned on silver coinage, irrespective as to what Spink claim.  Dated to 1534-5, in commemoration of a marriage that lasted just three years, produced the future Queen Elizabeth 1st but ultimately ended in Anne losing her head, quite literally, because she could not produce a male heir.  This issue is at 0.842 silver fineness with later issues going the same way as that of the English silver coinage under Henry, ie downhill.   This is only the third Anne Boleyn groat I've had, the first I remember selling within minutes of it being listed.  A rare coin and in exceptional grade for issue, other than a slight crease and split at 1 o'clock obverse, being the very best grade example I've ever had.  £745

 

WI-9040:  Irish Henry VIII Hammered Silver Groat.  Issued in commemoration of Henry’s marriage to Jane Seymour.  Spink 6473.  The rarer First (1st) Harp Issue, 1534-40 but this coin dated 1536-7 in commemoration of Henry’s marriage.  Subsequent wives to see their names (initials) in lights, or specifically on Harp groats, were Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.  Anne of Cleves seems to have been overlooked by Henry and by the time of Catherine Parr, he seemed to have realised that perhaps the coinage couldn’t keep up with his marriages.  This issue is at 0.842 silver fineness with later issues going the same way as that of the English silver coinage, ie downhill.  £545

 

WI-6369:  Irish Henry VIII Hammered Silver Groat.  1540.  First (1st) Harp Issue, DOMINVS, “HR” by harp.  Spink 6475.  These groats circulated at 6d during Henry’s reign and were subsequently devalued to 4d during a later reign (those being counterstamped with x4 pellets).  Initial mark Trefoil. With a silver content of 0.758 which although a lot better than the debased English Third Coinage issues of 1544 onwards, this does illustrate that debasement of silver was actively in progress in Ireland 4 years before it was introduced into England.  As we all know for our history lessons at school, Henry VIII led a lavish lifestyle as well as going to war with Scotland and France.  The country was fiscally challenged and so the idea was to create more coinage from the same amount of precious metal, resulting in coins often looking coppery in appearance.  Not really a good way of going about things (although I’m minded of quantitative easing in recent years!) as the practise led to inflation with the hoarding of earlier, high silver content coins.  The rarer earlier issue and sold with a very old collector’s ticket (Edward Watkins).  £289

 

WI-9054:  Henry VIII Second Harp Issue Irish Hammered Silver Groat.  Second (2nd) Harp Issue, struck 1540-42 at 0.758 fine, which is an interesting silver content, being firmly sandwiched between the first harp issue at 0.842 fine and the third harp issue at 0.833 fine!  Initial mark Trefoil.  Spink 6479.  In my experience, a bit rarer than the third harp issue.  £295

 

WI-6394:  Irish Henry VIII Hammered Silver Groat.  1543. Third (3rd) Harp Issue, 1543 only.  0.833 silver fineness, which interestingly, in view of Henry VIII’s penchant for progressively reducing the silver content of his coinage throughout the reign, is actually a HIGHER silver content compared to the Second Harp issue of 1540-42.  Rest assured though, the fourth issue was 0.666, the fifth 0.500 and the sixth 0.250.  Initial mark Tudor Rose.  Spink 6481.  Nice grade.  £225

 

 

 

Edward VI

 

WI-9060:  Rarer Edward VI Irish Tudor Hammered Silver Groat or Sixpence.  Posthumous (Henry VIII) old head coinage, 1547 - 1550.  CIVI TAS DVB LINIE - Dublin mint.  Initial mark the oh-so-rare BOAR'S HEAD.  The final type IV issue (small right facing bust; very much in the style of the English Tower groats) and so nearer to 1550 in date.  Spink 6488.  Struck in the name of Henry VIII and with the old head portrait of Henry VIII, even though by the time this coin hit the streets of Ireland, Henry had been dead for nearly three years.  The reason for the old king's details on the coinage was not, as most people understand, simply because Edward was too young to do "kingly stuff", or because people still loved the old king, or even that the Irish were slow off the mark - it was actually done to con the people, or rather to carry on conning the people, but conning them just a little bit more.  Actual Henry VIII base coinage, struck towards the end of his reign, was very debased as a way of making money for the mint, and therefore the country, after Henry had all but emptied the country's coffers.  The English ministers planned to bring the currency of England (not Ireland!) back up to .925 alloy from little better than copper and indeed they did this in 1551 with the English fine silver issues.  To pay for this, the Irish debased coinage would continue for a further x4 years after the death of Henry and crucially, having the old king's name and portrait on the coins would, it was thought, trick the public into accepting the poor coins.  Remember, the coin in your hand back then was supposed to be the face value in silver, so much so that the coin itself was largely irrelevant - all you needed was a penny's worth of scrap silver to purchase a penny loaf of bread.  These debased coins were far from being worth their face value in metal.  The bit where the English ministers conned the people just a little bit more was in making the silver content of the Edward VI coinage just a little bit better than the worst of the Henry VIII coinage BUT they increasing the face value from a groat (fourpence) to a sixpence WITHOUT upping the metal content.  Basically, same coin but a revaluation.  To further rub salt into the wound, whilst in 1551 the English were enjoying the bright shiny fine silver coinage of .925 alloy, the Irish, in 1552, having suffered in order to pay for the English fine silver halcyon days, suffered further by having their coinage reduced even more to .250 fine!  So here we have a coin that is Henry VIII and / or Edward VI and a denomination of 4d and / or 6d!  More importantly, we have here the BOAR'S HEAD initial mark, the first I have ever seen, let alone handled.  Sold with two old tickets (illustrated) and another old dealer ticket incorrectly ascribing this coin as Spink 6487.  A rare offering.  £595 RESERVED (M.He 7-1-24 Lay-Away)

 

 

 

Philip & Mary

 

WI-7898:  1557 Philip & Mary Irish Tudor Hammered Billon Silver Groat.  Debased (0.250 fineness issue) hammered silver - nice grade for this usually poor issue.  Two old tickets going back to 1973 and 1974 - see here and here.  Re the slip ticket:  for "chipped", please read "clipped".  £275

 

 

 

Elizabeth 1st

 

Sixpences

 

WI-7210:  1601-02 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Struck at the very tail end of the reign in order to pay the troops England sent over to quell the “warlike” Irish of the North, led by O’Neill.  The context was England’s desire to “Shire” Irish land.  The Earl of Essex was sent over to lead the troops but he was recalled to London where he was promptly executed.  The deceased Earl’s successor, Mountjoy, had a slightly better campaign, based on the fact that he wasn’t executed upon his return to London.  This coinage was very base, but not as base as the pence of this issue, which literally contained no silver – a revolutionary action (although Henry VIII got in there first with his “Old Copper Nose” coins) when you bear in mind that the entire foundation of currency was based on these coins actually being worth, in precious metals, what they were circulating as.  For example, in medieval times, a penny coin literally contained silver to the value of one penny.  Spink 6508.  This coin very high grade for issue.  £345

 

WI-7838:  1601-02 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Struck at the very tail end of the reign in order to pay the troops England sent over to quell the “warlike” Irish of the North, led by O’Neill.  The context was England’s desire to “Shire” Irish land.  The Earl of Essex was sent over to lead the troops but he was recalled to London where he was promptly executed.  The deceased Earl’s successor, Mountjoy, had a slightly better campaign, based on the fact that he wasn’t executed upon his return to London.  This coinage was very base, but not as base as the pence of this issue, which literally contained no silver – a revolutionary action (although Henry VIII got in there first with his “Old Copper Nose” coins) when you bear in mind that the entire foundation of currency was based on these coins actually being worth, in precious metals, what they were circulating as.  For example, in medieval times, a penny coin literally contained silver to the value of one penny.  Spink 6508.  This coin very high grade for issue - although an indifferent strike (these were struck in haste with little thought to presentation), this is virtually as it left the mint.  £345

 

 

Groats

 

WI-7348:  1558 Irish Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Groat - Choice.  Base coinage of 1558 with 0.250 silver fineness.  Initial mark Rose, Spink 6504.  This first issue was very much a continuation of the previous base issues - it took until 1561 for the “Fine Silver” coinage to be issued.  This coin is mint state – virtually “As Struck”, although to the initiated, it may not appear that way.  This is an example of the finest known Irish 1555 Philip & Mary shilling to give you some idea as to how good this groat is.  The billon nature of this coin defeated my usual camera, although I still include that image here.  The main image is via a cheap camera phone in artificial light.  Choice.  £1,950

 

WI-7140:  1558 Elizabeth 1st Irish Hammered Billon Silver Groat.  First issue, preceding the 1561 fine silver issue, at 0.250 silver content.  Spink 6504.  Ex Walter Wilkinson collection, accompanied by all his tickets.  The Walter Wilkinson collection was one of the best collections of Elizabeth 1st coinage ever put together.  Throughout the long life of the collection, Walter was constantly buying in better grade examples to improve the collection.  This coin is a superb example which I have certainly not shown through my poor images.  It’s a VF coin, regardless of the atrocious nature of the issue in general and the provenance is as good as it gets.  £575

 

WI-6671:  1558 Irish Elizabeth 1st Hammered Billon Silver Groat.  Base issue of 1558 only.  Spink 6504.  Very good grade for issue.  £185

 

 

THREEPENCES

 

WI-7923:  Elizabeth 1st Hammered Billon Silver Threepence - Emergency War Money.  Third (base) coinage of 1601-02 with silver at 3oz fine.  Initial mark Star, Spink 6509.  The entire Third Issue of Irish coinage was an emergency issue brought about by the need to pay the large numbers of soldiers who were in Ireland.  Their role was to defeat the “independent and warlike” Irish of the North, under the leadership of O’Neil, and to expeditiously “Shire” Ireland and bring it under English rule, basically making Ireland an extension of England.  The Earl of Essex was in command of the English troops but was recalled to England where he was duly executed.  His replacement, Mountjoy, somewhat motivated by the fate of his predecessor, did a much better job.  The threepence, although rated by Spink as the rarest of all silver and copper third issue coins (apart from the undated penny, extant examples of which can be counted on the fingers of one hand where the counter had unfortunately lost two or more fingers in an accident with something very sharp indeed), is not rated anywhere near as rare as they actually are.  This coin, apart from the deposits which any decent conservator could easily remove, is better than the Spink plate coin and as I've often stated, the Spink plate coin is the best example Spink could find even allowing for their huge contacts list.  A very rare coin indeed.  £945

 

 

Pennies

 

WI-7839:  1601 Irish Elizabeth 1st Hammered Copper Penny.  Initial mark Star.  Most of these coins come out of the ground (it is interesting to note that examples have been unearthed from the Jamestown site in America, along with later James 1st hammered silver coinage) and as a result the copper corrodes.  The entire Third Issue of Irish coinage, 1601-02 only, was an emergency issue brought about by the need to pay the large numbers of soldiers who were in Ireland.  Their role was to defeat the “independent and warlike” Irish of the North, under the leadership of O’Neil, and to expeditiously “Shire” Ireland and bring it under English rule, basically making Ireland an extension of England.  The Earl of Essex was in command of the English troops but was recalled to England where he was duly executed.  His replacement, Mountjoy, somewhat motivated by the fate of his predecessor, did a much better job.  Excellent grade.  £235

 

 

 

James 1st

 

WI-5595:  Irish James 1st Hammered Silver 6d.  1604-7, initial mark rose so 1606 – 1607.  An extremely good grade example of a usually poorly struck obverse issue.  £265

 

 

 

Pre 1800 "Milled" Coinage

 

 

 

Charles II

 

WI-7307:  1681 Charles II SILVER Proof Irish Halfpenny.  Armstrong & Legge’s regal coinage issue of 1680-84.  The coinage was split into two types: large and small lettering.  This is a silver proof for the small letter 1681 issue – the only other silver proof in the entire series is the 1680 large letter halfpenny.  1681 small letters (Spink 6575) is extremely rare with, I think, only one example known, which may well be a copper trial piece using the silver proof dies.  Slabbed by PCGS and grade PR53, which I understand to mean “Proof , about Uncirculated” – the AU grading system goes down to 50, at which point in becomes “Extremely Fine”, eg EF45.  At the risk of disagreeing with an American multi national company, this coin is clearly not uncirculated, although don’t be fooled by the obverse and reverse flat areas because to a point, these were built into the dies.  It’s a bit better than VF.  Choice.  £2,985

 

WI-7211:  1681 Charles II Copper Irish Halfpenny.  An excellent grade coin, especially so when you appreciate just how soft the copper was.  Armstrong & Legge’s regal coinage.  Interestingly, pre 1680 (the first Armstrong & Legge date), Ireland had nothing but old (and terribly worn) hammered coins, small (worn) traders tokens and foreign coins in circulation.  Spink 6574.  Sir Thomas Armstrong and Col. George Legge were granted a twenty one year licence which was ultimately so successful that it drove out all the old currency – great at the time but problematic several years down the line when this coinage was reduced to much worn copper discs.  £225

 

WI-7414:  1683 High Grade Irish Charles II Copper Halfpenny.  Armstrong & Legge’s Regal Coinage, Spink 6575.  Easily VF for issue (£400 in Spink 2020).  Sold with a detailed information slip.  £285

 

 

 

William & Mary

 

WI-6725:  1692 William & Mary Conjoined Busts Copper Halfpenny – High Grade.  A Dublin halfpence that was struck for only three years (the English version was only in operation for one year), this one being the rarest date.  Spink 6597.  Made from the softest of copper (the Charles II copper halfpence issue was equally soft), ie without the “hardening” elements to the alloy of later years, these coins were notoriously prone to wear through minimal handling.  The Spink plate coin is truly exceptional, being the best known example and worth well into four figures.  Planchet flaw – obverse king’s hair.  A very nice coin indeed.  £225

 

WI-6934:  1693 William & Mary Conjoined Busts Copper Halfpenny – High Grade.  A Dublin halfpence that was struck for only three years (the English version was only in operation for one year).  Spink 6597.  Made from the softest of copper (the Charles II copper halfpence issue was equally soft), ie without the “hardening” elements to the alloy of later years, these coins were notoriously prone to wear through minimal handling.  This one an unrecorded overdate.  Rare.  £245

 

WI-7340:  1694 Irish William & Mary *High Grade* Copper Halfpenny.  Struck at Dublin during a short three year run.  Near all the copper issues from Charles II until the Hanoverians, but particularly so this specific Irish W&M issue, were struck on planchets made from a very soft copper alloy, one that was really not up to the job.  As a result, these coins quickly deteriorated through initial circulation.  What made the W&M coins in particular so susceptible to wear was the large relief conjoined busts obverse.  I’d almost go as far to suggest that the W&M Irish halfpence wore down through circulation at a faster rate than the tin issues, and they really did wear down fast!  Sold with an old auction slip stating “Very Fine”, together with an old cabinet ticket.  £395

 

 

 

George III

 

WI-9052:  About EF Grade 1775 Possible 1775/4 Irish Copper Halfpenny.  The rarer Type III - it's usually types I & II - with the longer, flowing hair.  Spink 6614.  There's just a hint of the upright of the vertical of a 4 in-between the bottom of the vertical and the end of the bottom curve of the 5 which would make this the extremely rare 1775/4 variety.  Very high grade for type - just like the early Scottish coins, supply of currency was way, way below what was required by the populace (Ireland was renowned for having a wide range of foreign coinage in circulation alongside the official coin to fill the void) and that, coupled with the soft nature of this copper, resulted in quick and extreme wear.  Not this coin, though.  Rare thus.  £385

 

 

 

Post 1800 Coinage

 

1d’s

 

 

 

1/2d’s

 

WI-5623:  1805 Irish Copper Halfpenny.  Ex Colin Cooke collection.  £95

 

WI-6548:  1805 Irish GILT-PROOF Copper Halfpenny.  Plain edge, EF or better.  £265