Date: c. 1536-37 Description: Ireland, Henry VIII, First Harp Issue (1534-40), groat, m.m. crown, crowned “H” and “I” (for Henry and Jane Seymour, 1536-37) beside harp, 2.45g (S. 6473) Good very fine (GVF) Country: Ireland Category: Anglo-Norman House of Tudor Henry VIII Jane Seymour Hammered Additional Information: Jane Seymour (c. 1508 – 24 October 1537) Queen of England from…
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 introduction of the new ‘gunmoney’ sixpence in June was a qualified success for deposed King James II and he quickly moved to cash in even more when he ordered the issue of shillings and halfcrowns for July. The coin presses in Capel Street were in production 24 hours a day, with mint workers employed…
This was never going to be enough and the answer to James’s financial predicament came from a Protestant – William Bromfield, an English Quaker and one time surgeon who invented the world’s first ‘fiat’ currency based upon a promise to pay at a later date
2016 Market Values Copper Penny Copper Halfpenny Copper Farthing <no image> No farthings were circulated.
Introduction The short reign George IV was of huge numismatic importance to Ireland. George III’s Act of Union in 1801 had abolished the Irish Parliament in Dublin and extended direct rule over Ireland by the English Parliament in London. George IV went further :- The Assimilation of Currencies Act, 1825 provided for the abolition of the separate…
Introduction The rather eccentric Mr Reginald Huth is sometimes described as ‘a gentleman of leisure’ but his actual occupation is not known for certain – the Huth family were best known as financiers in the City of London. According to one source, he was ‘the London representative of the Bank of Spain’ though what he actually…
Introduction: Realising that having an Irish currency equal to English standard weights resulted in a massive drain of silver out of Ireland and, consequently, reducing the amount of coinage in circulation + causing a recession, Edward IV moved towards remedying this by announcing a new (lower intrinsic value) coinage for Ireland in 1467: double-groats (eight…
The Old Currency Exchange is a specialist dealer and valuer of Irish & GB coins, tokens and banknotes 