Irish Coinage
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Catalog Edward 1

Catalog of Irish Coin Prices, Edward I, 1276 - 1302

Index

Related Pages:

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After :

Reference :

The Irish pennies of Edward I divide into three main groups:

For more details on the history of this period of the Irish coinage select the relevant reference section on the side bar <---- or follow the links from the main page for a more structured approach to the history of the coinage.

The halfpennies divide into similar groups but the easy-to-identify-with pellets are not present so other differences need to be examined. All farthings appear to belong to the 1280 issues.

There are a number of varieties listed in older catalogs - oblong pellet below bust etc - these coins are now accepted to be contemporary European copies rather than Irish issues.

Several other minor varieties exist which are more probably mint or die errors rather than distinct issues (eg. a second issue coin with a rectangular symbol below the bust made from two pellets being punched badly and the die breaking to join them together). There is one variety of this type, a coin with no pellet below the bust, which appears to be an omission on the die which I have listed as it is a distinct variety (illustrated) .

These coins all have a value derived from a combination of the value of the underlying type and their own scarceness - curiously the anomalous pieces which are already listed in catalogs command better prices than those not listed because collectors tend to collect the varieties listed in their catalogs despite the fact the the unlisted ones are often scarcer.

Again as a general rule the smaller coins are worth less than a similarly scarce larger coin because collectors are less interested in acquiring the smaller coins and especially in collecting all the halfpenny and farthing varieties. There are sub varieties within the halfpennies and farthings which would warrant separate listings if they were pennies but are grouped together in the smaller denominations - over time I will be breaking these tables out to show these minor varieties of the smaller coins. Unfortunately as there is no auction history for these pieces the values are even more a matter of opinion than the existing listings where there is some history of sales and dealers lists to refer to.

An examples of these are the third issue Lombardic n halfpenny of Dublin and the two sixth issue farthing types.  These coins are represented by very few surviving examples (less than 5 in each case) and there has not been a single sale of any one of them where the type was properly noted by the auctioneer.

Examples of the scarcer varieties may lie hidden in collections amongst the more common types. Without a reference list which includes the specific varieties many collectors would simple not know that the variety exists and therefore would not look for it.  

This is the most comprehensive list of penny varieties published anywhere, but Paul and Bente Withers comprehensive listing of halfpenny and farthing varieties is more extensive than mine.

Recent changes in pricing and newly listed varieties are priced in bold text.

These coins are priced in Euros - (not in dollars and not in Irish pounds)

First coinage (in the name of Henry III) 1276

This coinage is effectively a continuation of the coinage of Henry III in Ireland ( The Irish Coinage of Henry III, 1251 - 1254 ). These coins are all rare.

There are two varieties, the key difference being the use of a Roman 'V' or a Lombardic 'U' in the legend.

These coins are very similar to the Irish pennies of Henry III of the moneyer RICARD. Many coins presented as being of this type are just normal pennies of Henry III or contemporary European copies of the Henry III coins.

The distinguishing features are the more naturalistic treatment of the hair, on some coins the 'U' and a clear pellet in the middle of the cinquefoil to the right of the king.

Any coin suspected of being of this type should be shown to an expert in the series for verification of the identification and for comparison with the known dies.

The estimated population of these pieces is about 8 coins. Two of these coins were sold in 1999. It is unlikely that two will appear in the same year again of some time. One of these was bought by the National Museum of Ireland, the other is still in private hands.

The recoinage of 1280

The pennies of the first three issues all have a trefoil of pellets on the breast.

The topmost pellet is often hidden in the collar of the bust .

The halfpennies and farthings are not as clearly identified other than by association with the pennies by lettering styles and bust design.

The lettering all all these coins is large and squareish in shape.

The issues of 1294-1302

The pennies of the final three issues do not have a trefoil of pellets on the breast - they either have one pellet or they have a rose.

The halfpennies are not as clearly identified other than by association with the pennies by lettering styles and bust design. The lettering on most of these coins is smaller and rounded in shape.

The difficulty with assigning halfpennies types to this later group is compounded with the farthings.  but there are two farthing varieties which pretty clearly seem to belong with the sixth issue based on their letting styles and (in one case) a single pellet below the bust.

As a general rule the sixth issue pennies are quite common, but are relatively more difficult to find in higher grades than the first three issues. All the fourth and fifth issues coins are either scarce or rare in any condition.

The Cork pieces are valued more highly than their scarcity because this is the only issue from Cork whereas there are common issues available from Dublin and Waterford for collectors who only want an example of each mint.