Limerick 1691 1/2 penny
The first specimen was lot 43328 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2019), where it sold for $504. The catalog description[1] noted, "IRELAND. Limerick Siege Issue. 1/2 Penny, 1691. PCGS MS-62 BN Gold Shield. Issued during the Siege of Limerick which finally crushed James II's hopes of reclaiming the throne. Struck on a crude planchet with evidence of the gun money undertype remaining. Edge flaw, no signs of circulation, nice dark brown patina." 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. William III allowed the coinage to continue to circulate as pennies, half pennies and farthings. The second specimen was lot 75406 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Online Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, May 2025), where it sold for $336. The catalog description[2] noted, "IRELAND. Limerick Siege Issue. Gun Money 1/2 Penny, 1691. James II. PCGS VF-30. Small size variety with normal 'N' in 'HIBERNIA'. Originally listed as a Farthing in KM, it is now thought that the smaller sized issues were made from virgin flans as indicated in the newest edition of Spink. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper, bronze or brass. KM 107 is 6.5 g, brass, 24 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-108; S-6594. The second specimen is S-6596 (4th Edition); KM-107.2 (as Farthing).
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Korchnak, Lawrence C., Siege Coins of the World, 1453-1902, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, 2021.
- 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]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio, Matt Orsini and Cris Chatigny, The January 2019 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2018.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, May 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction: Ancient & World Coins, featuring selections from the Sydney F. Martin Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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