A closer look at the half-crown
Damian does great work, as a visit to his shop in Newbridge will show, but the pendant prompted me to look back at the half-crown itself, a valuable coin to youngsters of my time to whom it was only given for special occasions like First Communion or Confirmation or birthdays.
It was withdrawn from Ireland in 1970, so today's internet age group won't remember it at all. There were eight of them to the Irish pound (also in the pound sterling, on which our pre-decimal coinage was modelled).
The Irish coins designed from the 1920s featured a series of animals and birds. The Irish Government had decided not to use contemporary important people, or anything of a religious or cultural significance. Since agriculture was such an important element of the new Free State economy, the animals and birds were deemed appropriate and uncontroversial.
The new coinage was introduced in December 1928 and the values and emblems were Farthing (Feoirling) Woodcock; Halfpenny (Leathphingin ) Sow and litter; Penny (Pingin) Hen and chickens; Threepence (Leath réal) Hare); Sixpence (Réal) Wolfhound; Shilling (Scilling) Bull; Florin (Flóirín) Salmon; and Half crown (Leath choróin) Horse.
The only pre-decimal Irish coin depicting a person was the Ten shillings (Deich scilling) of 1966, with a representation of the Death of Cú Chulainn.
Most of the animals and birds were kept on when new decimal coinage was introduced in 1971, with the Irish hunter going from the half-crown to the 20p piece, or a a fifth of a decimal Irish pound (Punt). The original Irish hunter had been designed by an English artist and sculptor Percy Metcalfe for the Free State, by competition involving a number of invited Irish and foreign artists.
From 1928 until 1943, the half-crown contained 75pc silver. Subsequent mintings were in an alloy of copper and nickel.
The most scarce Irish half-crown is the 1937 and includes the Saorstát Éireann writing on the obverse. Only 40,000 of them were produced, compared to 2.16m of the 1928 version. Its values today range from €75 to €3,675, that last figure for 'Gem Uncirculated' grade. From 1938 onwards, Saorstát Éireann was replace by 'Éire'.
A 1938 half-crown in the National Museum of Ireland is believed to be the only one such minted, in order to test the die for a new version. It is valued at €40,000. A 1943 half-crown is very rare, as it was minted in normal numbers but not issued. Some 'escaped' into circulation and are valued from €160 to €4,200 depending on condition or circulation status. The balance of these were melted down in 1950 by the Royal Mint.
The last half crowns were produced in 1967 and the coin was withdrawn on 1 January 1970.
So, if you're bringing one from your family heirlooms box to Damian for conversion, take a careful look before he puts his saw to work ...
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