Kilkenny (1643-44) crown

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Stack's Bowers 2025 NYINC sale, lot 33241
SB125-33241r.jpg

This specimen was lot 33241 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $8,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "IRELAND. Crown, ND (1643-44). Confederate Catholics Issue. Rebel Money. Charles I. PCGS VG-8. Of unquestionable rarity, this type was struck by the Confederate Catholics during the Irish Confederate Wars (1641-53). The design, reflecting its somewhat emergency usage, is quite crude and basic, featuring only a large plain cross and the numerical denomination. The present example would appear from a technical standpoint to be quite conservatively graded; there cannot have been strong detail to begin with, and in truth it only appears to exhibit moderate wear. In any case, an incredibly elusive opportunity to acquire an example of this EXTREME RARITY. From the Richard August Collection. Ex: Bridgewater House Collection (Sotheby's - 6/1972) Lot #573." Wikipedia comments,

"Confederate Ireland, also referred to as the Irish Catholic Confederation, was a period of Irish Catholic self-government between 1642 and 1652, during the Eleven Years' War. Formed by Catholic aristocrats, landed gentry, clergy and military leaders after the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the Confederates controlled up to two-thirds of Ireland from their base in Kilkenny; hence it is sometimes called the Confederation of Kilkenny. The Confederates included Catholics of Gaelic and Anglo-Norman descent. They wanted an end to anti-Catholic discrimination within the Kingdom of Ireland and greater Irish self-governance; many also wanted to roll back the plantations of Ireland. Most Confederates professed loyalty to Charles I of England in the belief they could reach a lasting settlement in return for helping defeat his opponents in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It minted coins, levied taxes and set up a printing press."

The Cromwellian conquest of 1649-50 destroyed the Confederates and the remnants of Catholic power in Ireland.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 24.36 g, silver, this specimen 25.70 g.

Catalog reference: S-6558; DF-313; KM 66, Dav-3793.

Source:

  • Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
  • Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1600-1700, Galesburg, IL, 1974.
  • 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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