Date: c.1804 Few people had silver or gold coins, and those who did, hoarded them and did not use them unless they really had to. Most of the smaller change in circulation was unofficial, illegal tokens. In short, there was a local currency crisis. The solution was small notes (an IOU) like the one below…
Date: 1804 Many people scoff at the thought of towns being so bereft of coinage for small change that they had to issue notes for very small amounts in Weimar Germany, Austria and France after the first world war, but a similar situation existed throughout Ireland in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Few people…
Introduction: The short-lived Gibbons & Williams Bank issued some of the most attractive banknotes of the period – being printed on both sides and featuring many beautiful vignettes of Dublin and agricultural themes. As such, they are highly sought after by collectors. Their one pound, thirty shilling and three pound notes were payable in Dublin…
Gibbons & Williams Bank: Gibbons & Williams was one of the last private banks to be founded in Ireland. Founded in 1833, it spectacularly collapsed in 1835 when the senior partner, Hutchins Thomas Williams, was found to have been embezzling client funds. James Gibbons had parted company with him in 1834 and wasn’t involved in…
Gibbons & Williams Bank: Gibbons & Williams was one of the last private banks to be founded in Ireland. Founded in 1833, it spectacularly collapsed in 1835 when the senior partner, Hutchins Thomas Williams, was found to have been embezzling client funds. James Gibbons had parted company with him in 1834 and wasn’t involved in…
Gibbons & Williams Bank: Gibbons & Williams was one of the last private banks to be founded in Ireland. Founded in 1833, it spectacularly collapsed in 1835 when the senior partner, Hutchins Thomas Williams, was found to have been embezzling client funds. James Gibbons had parted company with him in 1834 and wasn’t involved in…
The Kilkenny Bank / Loughnan’s Bank: The Kilkenny Bank was first registered in 23rd September 1800, by Connel Loughnan and John Helsham. There was three sets of notes issued: Type 1 Signatories: Kilkenny Bank (Connel Loughnan and John Helsham) Type 2 Signatories: Kilkenny Bank (Michael Brennan and James Loughnan) Type 3 Signatories: Kilkenny Bank (James…
Deanagh Mills Tradesman’s Note This establishment was never registered as a ‘bank’ per se and, as a result, its notes are listed as a Tradesman Issue in the Paper Money of Ireland catalogue. That said, their banknotes were produced to a high standard and the surviving banknotes (usually un-issued) are of good quality and usually…
The Killarney Bank This ‘bank’ does not appear to have ever been registered and, if the stories about are anything to go by, its lack of official registration is easily explained. The bank was run by one William Murphy – a saddler in the town of Killarney – and his notes were used as small…
Talbot & Co (Malahide Bank) By the Act of 1799, banks within the City of Dublin were forbidden to issue notes for less than 5 guineas (£5 and 5 shillings). Banks outside this boundary were not subject to this restriction and, consequently, many new entrants to the banking sector chose rural Dublin villages outside of…
The Old Currency Exchange is a specialist dealer and valuer of Irish & GB coins, tokens and banknotes 