Introduction: The ‘three-halfpence’ was the smallest silver coin ever struck by the Royal Mint for circulation. It was worth 11⁄2d (or 1⁄160 of a pound) and was produced for circulation in the British colonies, specifically for use in British Guiana, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Mauritius, Sierra Leone and the West Indies. They were a rough…
Background Victoria was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, the fourth son of King George III. Both the Duke of Kent and King George III died in 1820. She inherited the British throne at the age of 18, after her father’s three elder brothers had all died, leaving no surviving legitimate…
Upon hearing the news that “The Central Bank of Ireland has opened its archives to the public” I just had to book an appointment for a quick, initial visit … and I was not disappointed ! The Central Bank of Ireland has employed a professional archivist and the fruits of this investment can be seen…
The Central Bank of Ireland moved from its old HQ in Dame Street, Dublin to a new premises in North Wall Quay earlier this year. One of the exciting features (for coin and banknote collectors) is their new Visitor Centre. It has wheelchair ramps and it very family friendly, with plenty of room to amble…
Date: 1927 Description: Country: Ireland Category: Irish Free State / Saorstát Éireann Pattern Notes: This is a ‘pattern’ coin entered by the Roman sculptor Publio Morbiducci (1889-1963) for the competition to design Ireland’s new money in 1928. Although unsuccessful, Morbiducci’s designs are considered to be some of the finest in terms of their…
Date: 1927 Description: Country: Ireland Category: Irish Free State / Saorstát Éireann Pattern Notes: This is a ‘pattern’ coin entered by the Roman sculptor Publio Morbiducci (1889-1963) for the competition to design Ireland’s new money in 1928. Although unsuccessful, Morbiducci’s designs are considered to be some of the finest in terms of their classical Italianate…
Two and a half years ago I wrote an article designed to generate discussion on whether (or not) Irish metal-detectorists were saints or sinners. I had hoped to get more opinions from the professionals involved in Irish archaeology – from both sides of the border – but they have remained quiet. An uneasy three-way ‘stand-off’…
Date: c. AD 1040-60 ??? Description: This coin is one of the great enigmas of Irish numismatics – only 2 are known and no one seems to know who minted it, or where it was minted. The most recent find was excavated by professional archaeologists and it will be interesting to see how far back…
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…
The Old Currency Exchange is a specialist dealer and valuer of Irish & GB coins, tokens and banknotes 