Irish Coinage
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Henry VIII

Irish Coinage of Henry VIII (1530 - 1548)

Index

© 2001 - Copyright
John _ Stafford-Langan
Version 1.08b
10 July, 2001

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'Harp' Groats and Half Groats of Henry VIII ( ~1530 to ~1538)

Henry VIII - Harp Half Groat - H & A

Henry VIII Harp Groat - H & I

Henry VIII the second Tudor monarch didn't produce a coinage for Ireland until quite late in his reign. However he was instrumental in reducing the fineness of the silver coinage of England.
In about 1534 he introduced a coinage of groats and halfgroats called the harp coinage. These coins are important in that they carried for the first time the harp as the symbol of Ireland and in that during this coinage Henry VIII changed his title for 'Lord of Ireland (Dominus Hibernie) to King (Rex).

The Harp coinage went through a series of debasements right down to 2 oz fineness (2 ounces of silver in 12 ounces of metal). The coins were struck in London (and later in Bristol). #
 

The Posthumous Coinage of Henry VIII

Henry VIII - Posthumous Sixpence - mm P

Henry VIII Sixpence - Posthumous Issue - mm Harp