Date: c. 1100 BC – 800/700 BC Description: Penannular ring, twisted, ending in globules. This is a particularly heavy example, made from a carefully twisted shaft of gold ending in two globules. Weight: 16.27 g Diameter: 29 mm Late Bronze Age (or early Iron Age) gold objects such as this one have been found in…
Date: c. 1100 BC – 800/700 BC Description: Gold Ring Money – Penannular ring (cable type) tapering to plain ends. Late Bronze Age. Dated at c. 1300-100 BC) by Spink Weight: 4.62g. Very fine (VF) Very rare Provenance: Spink 5 July 1982, ex-Mallinson collection Reported to have been found in Co Wicklow Dating Gold Ring…
Introduction: Medieval history is often taught as a power struggle between nobles fighting for control of their inherited lands via a series of military campaigns, often ending in a decisive battle that has been portrayed within a 19th century ‘nationalist’ mindset. My own education, from what I can remember of primary school and the old…
Introduction: The British gold sovereign is one of the most ‘collected’ gold coins in Ireland today. We used it when we were part of the UK and it would seem that we are still hoarding them. Named after the English gold sovereign, previously last minted in 1604, the name was revived with the Great Re-coinage…
Introduction: William IV (b. 21 August 1765, d. 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. He was the third son of George III and he succeeded his elder brother George IV. Like his elder brother,…
Date: c. AD 900 – 1050 Description: Viking Gold Trade Ingot, 10th-11th century AD – a rectangular-section ingot of gold with irregular ends. Weight: 23.47 grams Length: 30mm (approx. 1 inch) Metal content Gold ~ approx. 67-69% Silver ~ approx. 29-31% Copper ~ approx. 2% Country: Ireland + Hiberno-Norse Northumbria Category: Viking Proto-Currency Gold Trading Ingot…
Introduction: The price of gold rose from the 1430s onward, so gold coins were worth more in Europe than in England, which resulted in a gold shortage in England as coins were exported for profit. This is known as an ‘arbitrage market’ and is also an early example of Gresham’s Law – it caused a…
Following the death in 1376 of his father, Edward of Woodstock (the Black Prince), Richard became heir to his grandfather, King Edward III of England, whom he succeeded in 1377 at the age of ten. His reign of twenty-two years saw a number of domestic crises, from the Peasants’ Revolt (1381) to later conflicts with…
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: c. 1646 Description: Emergency issue from The Great Rebellion, 1642-1649. Gold Double Pistole (21mm, 6.61 g, 2h). Ormonde Money. Struck 1646. ‘4 : 9wtt : 7 : gr :’ in two lines / ‘4 : 9wtt : 7 : gr :’ in two lines. O’Sullivan, Gold dies 1/2; D&F 269; SCBC 6552. Extremely Fine (EF) Probably…
The Old Currency Exchange is a specialist dealer and valuer of Irish & GB coins, tokens and banknotes 