Irish Coinage
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1928 Set
1928 Irish Set (proof strikings - 1961 restrike)
This set of coins is a restrike of the 1928 proof set. The set was struck in 1961 in the Royal Mint as part of a plan to mint a further batch of 1928 sets. The Irish Governement had been using the stock of 1928 sets as presentation pieces for over 30 years and the original 6,001 sets minted had run out by about 1960. The Royal Mint ran off a short run of 50 of these restrike sets. The Irish Governement did not proceed with the plan so these 50 sets remain an anomaly in the series.
Between 1928 and 1961 minting technology had improved considerably and the quality of the 1961 restrikes is substantially better than that of the original 1928 sets. The coins have deep mirror fields and heavily frosted devices, giving a cameo effect. Many of the scarcer Irish proofs from about 1939 onwards exhibit this quality, but the 1961 restrikes of the 1928 set are the most spectacular of all the proofs in the pre-decimal series.
This particular set unfortunately had been handled while in its box (A square 'Central Bank of Ireland' box) - so the reverses of the coins (below) are not quite as spectacular as the obverses (above).
I am not aware how many of the original 50 sets were actually issued. I presume that a set would command a premium over the price of an original 1928 set, assuming that the coins were in original condition.
I have seen individual proof halfpennies and a penny being offered which have been 1961 restrikes - as far as I am aware the halfpenny and penny are the only denominations that have been offered separately.
© 2004 - Copyright
John
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Stafford-Langan
Version 1.12
15th August, 2004