Date: c. 1642

Description:

Charles I ‘Dublin Money’ Halfcrown, Vs within beaded and wire-line borders.

• Weight: 14.24g
• References: S 6543, DF 287

Good fine (gF)

• Nicely toned
• A very rare ‘siege’ coin from the Great Rebellion in Ireland

Obverse:

• Irregular octagonal flan cut from plate silver and stamped with a crude die. Denomination within a double circle – inner wire frame + an outer beaded circle.
• Legend:
  • Small “S” above large “II” (denoting two shillings) and medium-sized “D” above “XI” (denoting sixpence)
  • Two shillings and sixpence (or a half-crown)

Reverse:

• Denomination within a double circle – inner wire frame + an outer beaded circle
• Legend:
  • Small “S” above large “II” (denoting two shillings) and medium-sized “D” above “XI” (denoting sixpence)
  • Two shillings and sixpence (or a half-crown)

 

The Lords Justices Coinages of 1642

In 1642, Dublin and its hinterland was surrounded – it was a siege in all but name – Dublin was cut off from the rest of Ireland but still linked to their political masters in England by sea. The massive influx of the 20,000 soldiers in the “English Army for Ireland” caused economic problems for Dublin – they had to be paid and they needed to spend money on essentials – and they needed money to do this and the Dublin merchants needed coins for change.

There were three separate emergency issues in 1642 – struck from cut and flattened silver plate collected in around Dublin by supporters of Charles I on the outbreak of Civil War in England. The plate was at first donated (£1,200 worth) and later received in exchange for promissory notes. All three issues are also collectively known as ‘Inchiquin Money’ which does cause confusion with the other issues of 1642

• It was originally believed that these coins were issued by Lord Inchiquin on his own authority
• The issue of all three by the Lord Justices in 1642 is now well established
• Each of these issues vary according to the way their monetary value (denomination) was displayed
• There were also differences in the range of denominations issued

Country:

• Ireland

Category:

• Anglo-Norman
  • House of Stuart
• Charles I
  • Dublin Money
    • Also known as:
      • Siege Money
      • Emergency Coinage
      • Coinage of Necessity
      • Octagonal / Obsidinal Money
• Hammered

 

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Further Reading:

• Check List: Irish Tudor & Stuart Coinage