Date: 2016

2016 Ireland special €2 – 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising

Description:

The Easter Rising, also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans to end British rule in Ireland and establish an independent Irish Republic while the United Kingdom was heavily engaged in World War I. It was the most significant uprising in Ireland since the rebellion of 1798.

Bimetallic (Nk/Ng)

• Outer Ring:
  • Cupro-nickel (75% copper – 25% nickel clad on nickel core)
• Centre:
  • Nickel brass (75% copper – 20% zinc – 5% nickel)
• Diameter: 25.75 mm
• Thickness: 2.2 mm
• Weight: 8.5 g

Mintage: 4,500,000 pieces

• Issue date:  20th January 2016

Obverse:

• The coin depicts the statue of Hibernia rising above the general post office building whose occupation in 1916 marked the start of the Easter Rising. Hibernia is the symbol of Ireland. Its name comes from the ancient Greek name of Ireland and its sculpture is the work of John Smyth. Hibernia is considered a witness to the events of 1916 and, a hundred years, he has witnessed the flowering of the nation based on the ideals of the Proclamation.

  At the top of the inner circle is the inscription ‘HIBERNIA “in handwriting inspired by the historic Book of Kells. Sunbeams reflect the underlying idea of ​​the uprising and the corresponding Proclamation, namely, the dawn of the new nation and republic.

Reverse:

• Designed by Luc Luycx and displays a map of Europe, not including Iceland and cutting off, in a semicircle, at the Bosporus, north through the middle of Ukraine and Belarus and through northern Scandinavia.
  • Cyprus is located further west than it should be
  • Malta is shown disproportionately large so it appears on the map
  • The map has numerous indentations giving an appearance of geography rather than a flat design. Six fine lines cut across the map except where there is landmass and have a star at each end – reflecting the twelve stars on the flag of Europe
• Across the map is the word EURO
• A large number 2 appears to the left hand side of the coin
• The designer’s initials, LL, appear next to Cyprus

Edge:

Ireland – Special €2 commemorative coin (incuse edge design)           2 ** 2 ** 2 ** 2 ** 2 ** 2 **

• Fine milled
• Edge lettering
  • Combination of the number 2 and ** repeated six times

Other Coins in this series:

• Web Page:
  • Irish Euro Coins

• Irish Euro Coinage:

  • Coins for Circulation
  • O’Brien Rare Coin Review: Will the Irish 1c and 2c coins ever be scarce ?
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish Euro 1c
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish Euro 2c
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish Euro 5c
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish Euro 10c
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish Euro 20c
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish Euro 50c
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish €1 coins
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish €2 coins
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish Commemorative €2 coins
  • BU sets
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish BU Euro Sets (Presentation Packs)
  • Irish Proof Euro Sets
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish Euro Proof Sets
  • Irish Commemorative Euro Coins (Proofs)
    • O’Brien Coin Guide: Irish Euro Commemorative Coins

Further Reading: