Ireland (1642) half crown
This specimen was lot 33237 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $2,640. The catalog description[1] noted, "IRELAND. 1/2 Crown, ND (1642). Inchiquin Money. Lords Justices Coinage. Charles I. PCGS VF-30. A RARE necessity issue struck during the Great Rebellion (1641-42) on makeshift planchets cut from pieces of flattened silver plate. Relatively strong detail remains despite the noted wear, with some relief to the characters in the stamp (which denotes the weight of 9 pennyweight, 16 grains). From the Richard August Collection." Murrough MacDermod O'Brien, 6th baron and later first earl of Inchiquin (1614-74), was a Protestant nobleman who supported first Charles I and then Parliament during the English Civil War as better able to help the Protestant cause in Ireland. This half crown was issued in support of Charles I along with crowns and shillings. Hampered by lack of money and arms, Inchiquin was never able to accomplish anything decisive. Light in weight, this example is likely clipped.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 9 dwt, 16 gr (15.06 g), silver, this specimen 11.48 g.
Catalog reference: S-6533; DF-276, KM 40.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of the Coins of Scotland, Ireland, Channel Islands & Isle of Man, London: Coincraft, 1999.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of Scotland, Ireland and the Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Man & Lundy), Pre-Decimal Issues, 2nd edition, London: Spink & Son, 2003.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, January 2025 NYINC Showcase Auction, featuring the Richard Margolis Collection, Part III, and the Richard August Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
Link to:
- Kilkenny (1642-43) 1/2 crown, Confederate Catholics
- Ireland (1642) shilling, Inchiquin Money
- Ireland (1642) crown Dav-3790, Inchiquin Money
- Ireland (1643-44) 1/2 crown S-6545, Ormonde
- Ireland (1643-44) crown Dav-3792, Ormonde
- Kilkenny (1643-44) crown, Confederate Catholics
- Coins and currency dated 1642