Regal Irish Coppers
EARLY HALFPENCE ISSUES
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Irish Halfpenny 1682-4 Charles II
Obverse: CAR[OLVS .] II DEI . GRATIA
Reverse: [M]AG . BR . FRA . ET . HIB . REX (between crown and harp) 16 [RUBBED]
Weight: 80.9 g (5.24 grams) Diameter: 26.55 mm
Comments: This is an example of a bust right Charles II Irish halfpenny minted 1680-1684 by Armstrong and Legg under a royal patent. This was the first royal copper halfpenny minted for Ireland and was issued to replace local Irish coppers, most notably the St. Patrick coppers. This is a very lightweight and rather crudly made coin. The planchet was clipped and the reverse is slightly off center so the beaded border can be fully seen at the lower left. This example is the small letter variety which was minted 1682-1684. Such examples did circulate in America, in fact, a 1681 Irish halfpenny was found in the Philadelphia highway hoard.
Provenance: Donated to Notre Dame in 1887 as part of a 2,300 item coin collection (see: The Notre Dame Scholastic, vol. 21 (September 1887) 45.
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Irish Halfpenny 1688 James II
Obverse: IACOBUS . II DEI . GRATIA
Reverse: MAG . BR . FRA . ET . HIB . REX (between crown and harp) 16 88
Weight: 119.3 g (7.74 grams) Diameter: 26.0 mm
Comments: A regal bust left Irish halfpenny of James II minted by Sir John Knox, the Lord Mayor of Dublin under royal patent. This example is from the final year of issue.
Provenance: Donated to Notre Dame in 1887 as part of a 2,300 item coin collection (see: The Notre Dame Scholastic, vol. 21 (September 1887) 45.
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Irish Halfpenny 1692-4 William and Mary
Obverse: GV[IELMVS . ET. MARIA . DEI . GRATIA]
Reverse: [MAG . BR . FR . ET .] HIB [. REX . ET . REG]INA . (between crown and harp) 16 [RUBBED]
Weight: 94.1 g (6.1 grams) Diameter: 25.25 mm
Comments: This is a very worn example of a bust right William and Mary halfpenny minted between 1692-1694. After this series no additonal coppers were made for Ireland until William Wood's Hibernia coinage of 1722-24. I have included some well worn examples as such this coin, for similar well worn and lightweight Irish coppers did circulate in America.
Provenance: Donated to Notre Dame in 1887 as part of a 2,300 item coin collection (see: The Notre Dame Scholastic, vol. 21 (September 1887) 45.
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| Well Worn Coppers | Section Contents | Regal Irish Coppers: p. 2 |
