Ireland 1690 Apr 1/2 crown
This specimen was lot 33246 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $3,120. The catalog description[1] noted, "IRELAND. Silver 'Gunmoney' 1/2 Crown, 1690 (Apr). Dublin Mint. James II. PCGS PROOF-20. An EXTREMELY RARE silver striking; silver "Gunmoney" portrait 1/2 Crowns make very infrequent appearances in public auctions, and as such the present example is exceedingly desirable despite the noted wear. The first example in this composition that we can recall offering to date. From the Richard August Collection. Ex: Heritage Auctions (1/2002) Lot #6394." 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. William III allowed the coinage to continue to circulate as pence, half pence and farthings.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper, brass or bronze, this specimen silver.
Catalog reference: S-6579L2; KM-95a.
- 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.
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