Ireland 1689 Nov 1/2 crown
This specimen was part of lot 22849 in Heritage sale 3010 (Boston, August 2010), which sold for $322. The catalog description[1] noted, "Republic Mixed Lot of Eleven Coins, ...plus Gunmoney Shilling and 1/2 Crown 1689. Grades run from VF to UNC." After James II was deposed as king of Great Britain in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, he fled to France. He landed in Ireland in early 1689 to raise the flag of revolt on behalf of the Catholic population. Lacking bullion to strike conventional coinage, church bells and worn out cannon were melted down to make a series of token coinage in sixpence, shilling, half crown and crown denominations. This coinage is unusual in that it is dated by month and year. It was to be redeemed in silver after the revolt was successful but James was defeated and forced to return to France while the Irish suffered devastation and land confiscations.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: brass.
Catalog reference: KM-95.
- 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]Tucker, Warren, Scott Cordry and John Kraljevich, Heritage Sale 3010: World Coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2010.
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