Ireland 1690 1/2 penny KM-96
This specimen was lot 73796 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2023), where it sold for $3,840. The catalog description[1] noted, "IRELAND. Silver Gun Money 1/2 Penny, 1690. Dublin Mint. James II. PCGS PROOF-55. "Gunmoney" coinage. Reeded edge. Virgin flan (no undertype). A VERY RARE example of this off-metal issue in silver, the present specimen, though slightly handled and with a slight degree of weakness to the strike and roughness to the metal, stands as a stellar representative that would be quite difficult to encounter again anytime soon. Ex: John Rainey Collection. Ex: Spink 75 (3/1990) Lot # 478." 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. This half penny was issued during James's last ditch attempt to keep the revolt alive. This example, in silver, was likely struck after the affair was over. William III allowed the coinage to continue to circulate as pennies, half pennies and farthings.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: pewter (KM 96) or silver (KM 96a).
Catalog reference: S-6591A; Withers dies 4/4, KM 96a.
- 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, February 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, featuring the David Sterling Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
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