Ireland 1968 penny

formerly in the Mountain Groan Collection

After winning independence from Great Britain after World War One, Ireland went thru a civil war before settling on a free state completely separate from Britain. The first coinage of the new country was in 1928; in 1939, the obverse legend was revised from "SAORSTAT EIREANN" to plain "EIRE", which title still obtains. This type, struck 1940-68, features a hen and chicks on the reverse, celebrating Irish agriculture. This date is common in all grades.

Recorded mintage: 21,000,000 plus proofs.

Specification: 9.45 g, bronze, 30.9 mm diameter, designed by Percy Metcalfe.

Catalog reference: KM 11.

Source:

• 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.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• 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.

Link to:

• 1965 penny
• 1966 half penny
• 1967 half penny
• 1969 10 pence
• 1974 penny
• Coins and currency dated 1968
• return to coins of Ireland