Ireland 1741 1/2 penny
This specimen was lot 40606 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Oklahoma City, OK, August 2025), where it sold for $2,880. The catalog description[1] noted, "IRELAND. 1/2 Penny, 1741. London Mint. George II. PCGS MS-65 Red Brown. Large lettering variety. A deceivingly RARE type in any condition, with no other examples of this date appearing in public auction records over the last 25 years, as far as we are able to discern. If the scarcity were not enough, the present example boasts exceptional preservation and eye appeal for any copper issue of this period, with the obverse arguably fully Red. An impressive survivor that is sure to see heavy competition among collectors. From the Richard August Collection." As the Royal Mint in London could not keep up with the demand for English coinage, it is not surprising that issues for Ireland are scanty and few. This type was struck 1741-46. Half pennies of 1747-55 have "GEORGIVS" instead of "GEORGIUS".
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper, 7.4 g, 27 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: S-6606; KM-130.1.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- 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, August 2025 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Richard August Collection and the Richard Margolis Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
Link to: