Coins of the Republic of Ireland

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This version of the harp, on a 1990 Irish pound, was on Irish coinage dated from 1939 until 2000.

The state now called Ireland (and sometimes described as the Republic of Ireland) decided in the mid-1920s to design its own coins and banknotes; at this stage it was decided that the Irish currency would be pegged to the Pound Sterling. The Coinage Act, 1926 was passed as a legislative basis for the minting of coins for the state and these new coins commenced circulation on December 12, 1928.

See also: Banknotes of the Republic of Ireland

[edit] Background

See also: Coins of Ireland

The first coins minted in Ireland were produced for King Sigtrygg III (Sitric), a Hiberno-Norse King of Dublin, about AD 995 in Dublin. These penny coins bore the head and name of the King and the word "Dyflin" for Dublin. John of England was among the first Anglo-Norman monarchs to mint coins in Ireland – these coins were farthings, halfpennies and pennies. It was not until the reign of Henry VIII that Irish coins started to bear the harp and later in the reign the year, for the first time as well. Over the coming centuries coins were issued from gold, silver and copper and at one stage from melted-down gun barrels; the so called "gun money". Coins issued in the 18th and 19th centuries often included the word Hibernia on the harp side. The last Irish coins issued prior to independence, were issued during the reign of George IV in 1823 and finally Irish coins were withdrawn in 1826 as a result of the integration that resulted from the 1800 Act of Union. Occasional "fantasy" coins were minted in the next century but these were neither circulated nor legal tender.

When the Irish Free State decided to introduce new coins and notes it was decided that these would remain pegged to the Pound Sterling; this was taken primarily for economic considerations as in 1924 Irish exports to Great Britain and Northern Ireland were 98% of all exports, whilst imports from these areas was 80% of all imports. Additionally the stability and backing of the Pound Sterling reassured the government that the new currency was on a firm foundation and did not detract from rebuilding the social and economic fabric of the country which was the then government's first commitment.

As is common with numismatic terminology the side of the seal of the state is termed the "obverse"; this is often called the common side; the "reverse" is the side with the denomination specific design. In Ireland the obverse and reverse are often incorrectly attributed to the wrong sides.

As is the usual convention coins are issued by the central bank who acts as an agent of the Minister for Finance.

[edit] The pound

[edit] Predecimal coins

Shilling coins featured a bull design. They continued to be used after decimalisation as five pence until the early 1990s when the 5p coin was reduced in size.

In the early 1920s, the Irish government (then called the Executive Council of the Irish Free State) set up a committee under Senator W. B. Yeats to determine designs suitable for the coins. This committee consisted of Thomas Bodkin, Dermot O'Brien, Lucius O'Callaghan and Barry Egan.

The penny coin featured a hen, reflecting the importance of agriculture to Ireland at the time of issue.

Early in the design process a number of decisions were made. It was decided that the harp should be on most if not all coins, and all lettering should be in Irish. Also it was determined that people associated with "the present time" should not be incorporated on any designs, no doubt due to the deep divisions carved by the Irish Civil War. It was later decided that anything with religious or cultural connotations should be avoided because this might have led to coins becoming relics or medals. At the time, and for centuries previously, agriculture was essential to the economy of Ireland and this theme was decided upon for the coins, which used designs featuring animals and birds.

Finally the decision was taken to use the harp and the words "Saorstát Éireann" on the obverse side of all coins. A number of pictures and photographs of animals and birds were presented to the chosen artists to design the reverse and they were also given pictures of the Galway and Trinity College, Dublin harps for guidance. Later in the design process the Minister for Finance decided that the value of the coins should be in numerals as well and also suggested using plants; this latter suggestion was decided against because the competition was at an advanced stage and also the difficulty of getting good facsimiles of plants.

This version of the harp, on a 1936 Irish farthing coin, was on Irish coinage minted from 1928 until 1937.

Three Irish artists Jerome Connor, Albert Power and Oliver Sheppard were shortlisted and accepted, and also the foreign artists Paul Manship (American), Percy Metcalfe (English) Carl Milles (Swedish) and Publio Morbiducci (Italian); a number of other artists were invited but did not take part. Each artist was compensated for his time and was allowed to produce designs in plaster or metal with a prize for the winner; when the committee reviewed the designs all identifying marks were removed so that the committee did not know whose designs were being reviewed. Ultimately Percy Metcalfe's designs were chosen and a number of modifications were incorporated into these designs with assistance from civil servants at the Department of Agriculture.

The commemorative ten shilling coin introduced in 1966 was notable in not featuring the harp on the obverse, but rather Padraig Pearse.

The first coins were struck in, and dated 1928 and were minted at the Royal Mint in London. In 1938 following the introduction of the Constitution of Ireland the obverse of the coins was modified with the Irish language name of the State, "Éire", and the harp was also modified so that it wore better. The Central Bank Act, 1942 Section 58 allowed pure nickel to be substituted with a cupro-nickel alloy. The description of the state as the "Republic of Ireland" did not require any change in the name on coins issued after 1948. The Coinage Act, 1950 changed the law on coinage principally with the removal of silver from coins then in existence. The final piece of primary legislation for predecimal coins was the Coinage (Amendment) Act, 1966 which allowed for a ten shilling coin to be minted and circulated.

[edit] Decimal coins

The ten pence piece featured a salmon, as the florin had previously. The redesigned smaller 10p of the 1990s is shown on the right.

The penny piece featured a stylised hen, as the pre-decimal penny coin had previously.

The provision of new designs of coins for decimalisation was a low key event in Ireland, and indeed it was reported that mere tokens, without any designs other than the stated denomination and state seal, would be provided in the case of the three lowest denominations. Had this occurred then no new designs would have taken place for Decimal Day.

In any event three new designs were completed in bronze by the Irish artist Gabriel Hayes, and were based upon various manuscript designs of ornamental birds with a Celtic knotwork theme. The designs of Percy Metcalfe were retained for the new five and ten pence coins, taken from the shilling and florin respectively. The design of the new fifty pence retained the image of the farthing, which was not of the same value. The design selection was low key and the designs themselves were quite simple using only figures and symbols to indicate the value; this left some ambuiguity as to whether "P" on the coins meant "penny" or "pingin", where the latter is the Irish word for penny. Notwithstanding this the legislative basis for coins in the Republic has always used English words irrespective of final design mints.

The rising expense of minting coins necessitated the introduction of the twenty pence coin in 1986, the halfpenny coin was withdrawn at this time as inflation greatly reduced its buying power. The introduction of the Irish pound coin required the Decimal Currency Act, 1990 and this law provided for certain other matters including the issue of European Currency Unit (ECU) coins which were specifically stated not to be legal tender in the legislation, instead intended as collectors items. These ECU coins were issued in 50 ECU, 10 ECU and 5 ECU, which were issued in gold, silver and silver respectively. These coins used the Irish red deer as on the Irish pound coin with a mountain relief in the background and other notable differences such as the 12 stars of the European Flag surrounding the harp somewhat similar to the Irish euro coins.

The coins issued under the Decimal Currency Acts were finally "called in" in 2002 by the Irish Pound Coinage (Calling In) (No. 2) Order, 2001 which revoked an earlier similar order; the date was set for February 10, 2002. However, a number of pennies - often mistaken as five-cent coins - are still currently incorrectly in circulation.

This display shows the Irish coins in circulation before the euro changeover in 2002, with a 1988 Dublin commemorative 50 pence in place of the usual issue.

[edit] The euro

The obverse of an Irish €2 coin, showing the harp.

Main article: Irish euro coins

The introduction of the euro was overseen by the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland which was a special agency created on May 5, 1998 by the Minister for Finance; this agency provided a wide variety of information including converters, training packs, images and public advertisements on a wide range of media to ensure a successful transfer. As with all eurozone countries, Ireland continued to mint her own coins after the currency changeover to the euro. One side of euro coins is common across the eurozone, it is the obverse which has a design unique to Ireland. Although some other countries used more than one design, or even a separate design for each of the eight coins (1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, €1 and €2), Ireland used only one design. A redesigned harp (superficially identical to that used on earlier coins) was used, having been designed by Jarlath Hayes. Some other eurozone members have unique lettering around the €2 coin. The edge on Irish €2 coins merely has the sequence "", repeated three times.

The first collectors' commemorative coin issued since the changeover was a €10 silver coin to mark the Special Olympics in 2003. This was struck in sterling .925 silver and hand finished to create a distinctive gold logo and harp. A €5 Coin was also produced. Since then a number of commemotative coins have been issued including one for the accession of the ten new European Union member states on 1 May 2004. One side of the €10 coin depicts a swan sitting on ten eggs, with the reverse depicting the harp and the names of all ten members in their native language. The first gold coin ever issued by the Central Bank was a €20 issued in 2006 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Samuel Beckett. These commemorative coins are only legal tender in Ireland, and are not valid elsewhere in the Eurozone.

In 2007, Ireland issued a €2 coin for general circulation commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. This is, to date, the only circulating commemorative €2 coin issued by Ireland.

All pre-euro Irish coins may be exchanged for their equivalent in euro any weekday morning at the Central Bank in Dublin.

[edit] See also

• Coat of Arms of the Republic of Ireland
• Great Seal of the Irish Free State
• Official Seal of the President of Ireland

[edit] References and further reading

• "Coinage of Saorstát Éireann", William Butler Yeats, The Stationery Office, Dublin, 1928.
• "The Irish Coinage Designs", Thomas Bodkin DLitt, Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin, November 30th, 1928.

[edit] External links

• Central Bank - Notes and Coins
• Irish coinage website - history, images and catalogue.
• Coins From Ireland
• Listings and photos of Irish coins