Background In 1825, in the middle of the reign of King George IV, the long-planned “customs and monetary” union of Great Britain and Ireland was enacted. From a numismatic viewpoint, the farthings of 1826 changed design – from “draped bust laureat” to The Irish pound was thence tied to sterling and almost “free trade” conditions…
GB & Ireland copper pennies (1825-60) are very sought after by collectors. They are often found in attic clearances and car boot sales in Ireland. The comparatively soft metal results in few coins surviving in higher grades. Many varieties exist and the main ones have been listed below. George IV Prior to ascension, George IV…
A quarter-farthing was issued for use only in Ceylon between 1839 and 1853, and was never legal tender in the UK & Ireland. However, they are usually considered to be part of the UK coin series, as Ceylon used British currency at that time.
Introduction: Perhaps one of the most dispicable practises of the so-called landlord classes in Ireland (and elsewhere) was the ‘truck’ system whereby employees were sometimes partly paid in ‘Truck’ Tokens, spendable only in the issuer’s own shops, where prices were generally higher than elsewhere. The word truck is derived from the French troquer, meaning to “exchange” or “barter”…
Date: c. 1642-1643 Description: Charles I, Confederate Catholics, Kilkenny Issues (1642-1643), Copper Halfpenny, crown over crossed sceptres, linear circle and legend surrounding both sides, rev crowned harp with C to left, R to right, 5.23g (DF 263; Nelson type I; S 6555). Quite weakly struck as usual Good Fine (gF) Toned Rare Country: Ireland Category: Anglo-Norman House…
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 The coinage of George II is reasonably easy to find in the lower grades but a substantial premium is paid for higher grade coins – which are not easy to obtain. Last year, we saw steep price increases at auction for proofs and regular issues in Extremely Fine (EF) and Uncirculated grades.…
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 On 23rd October 1680, letters patent were granted to Sir Thomas Armstrong and Colonel George Legge) to manufacture copper halfpennies for use in Ireland for a period of 21 years. They were to be dated 1680, 1681, 1682, 1683, 1684 and 1685 but, since Charles II died in 1684, no coins dated 1685 have…
The Old Currency Exchange is a specialist dealer and valuer of Irish & GB coins, tokens and banknotes 