Date: 1642-43 Description: Kilkenny Rebel Money Sixpence; issued by the Catholic Confederacy of Kilkenny from 1642-43 and counter-marked on a silver Sixpence of James I (his Second Coinage, 3rd bust, mm Rose 1605-06) for Ireland, in 1558); one counter-mark struck on the monarch’s bust in the form of a raised “K” on a castle (single…
Introduction: The Elizabethan series of Anglo-Irish coinage is a somewhat neglected space in terms of numismatic research since many of her issues were relatively small and their survival rate poor. As such, the availability of suitable study material is limited. The British Museum’s holdings are relatively modest The National Museum of Ireland only has a…
Date: c. 1601-02 Description: Elizabeth I (1558-1603), Third issue, debased silver Sixpence, issued c. 1601-02. The reason for this coinage was to deny good silver to the rebels in the north of Ireland so they would not have anything with which to buy arms from abroad. The idea was to flood Ireland with base money…
Date: 1647 Description: Charles I, Cities of Refuge silver sixpence on an octagonal piece of silver plate. Weight: 2.06g References: S 6561A; DF 329 About Fine (F) Extremely rare Obverse: Crudely struck emergency coinage with the legend “CORK” centred between two circles (outer circle beaded, inner circle wired) with a small pellet below (between “O”…
Date: c. 1605-06 Description: James I, second Irish coinage, Sixpence. No date, but the mint mark: Rose denotes the year 1605-06. Struck at the Tower Mint, London. Attractively toned, good fine. Weight: 2.22g Mintmark: Rose (1605/6) Reference: S.6517 Obverse: Crowned (third) bust of James I, facing right The third bust can be quickly identified via the ‘decorated…
Date: c. 1547-50 Description: Edward VI (1547-53), coinage in the name of Henry VIII, Sixpence, 0.54g, (S.6488), nice full flan, good overall definition but has been cleaned. Good Very Fine (gVF) Scarce Obverse: Posthumous old head of Henry VIII coinage, Bust of early London Tower style facing semi right HENRIC’ 8 D’ G’ AG’ ET FRA’…
Introduction: Edward VI was crowned King of England and Ireland on crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. During Edward’s reign, the realm was governed by a Regency Council because he never reached his majority. The Council was first led by his uncle Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset (1547–1549), and then by John Dudley, 1st…
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”…
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…
Introduction: Strictly speaking, the 1st Lord Baltimore wasn’t really Irish, although he was a member of the Irish peerage, had an Irish title and and resided on his Irish estates shortly before travelling to the Americas to set up his first colony in Newfoundland. He died just after acquiring the charter for Maryland. However, the…
The Old Currency Exchange is a specialist dealer and valuer of Irish & GB coins, tokens and banknotes 