Introduction By September 1689, James II’s so-called gunmoney continued to be produced in huge volumes at Capel Street in Dublin. A common misconception is that the coinage with 9r equates to September but it, in fact, refers to November – the 11th month of our modern (Gregorian) calendar but the 9th month of the old Julian…
Introduction: The much debated O’Reilly’s Money is often quoted in old Irish numismatic books and society papers. However, examples are very rare and few collectors seemed interested enough in them to add them to their cabinets in the early days of Irish numismatics. Most examples are hidden away in museum collections and rarely see the…
For many collectors the topic of coin grading is a vexing one – it often seems so subjective and inconsistent. Of course, the most common and obvious targets for their ire are the dealers and auctioneers who, by way of describing their wares, are forced to commit their opinions of grade to paper. No ‘absolute’…
Introduction In 1926, the Minister for Finance set up a special committee of persons with artistic knowledge to advise on the designs and he chose Senator W. B. Yeats to chair it. At the first meeting of the committee, on the 17th June 1926, Joseph Brennan (at that time Secretary to the Department of Finance and later Chairman…
Introduction After Edward III, there was a gap in Irish coin production of over 120 years. What caused this? Was it an economic or political decision, or a combination of several different causal factors? Did the causal factors occur before and/or during the reign of Edward III ??? No coins would be minted in Ireland for…
The gunmoney of James II: August 1689 (timeline)
The Old Currency Exchange is a specialist dealer and valuer of Irish & GB coins, tokens and banknotes 