Ireland 1940 shilling

from 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 date is fairly common tho the proofs are rare. The type was struck 1939-42 before being converted to copper-nickel in 1951-68.

Recorded mintage: 580,000 plus proofs.

Specification: 5.66 g, 0.750 fine silver, 23.6 mm diameter, designed by Percy Metcalfe.

Catalog reference: KM 14.

Source:

• 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:

• 1939 farthing
• 1939 ½ penny
• 1939 shilling
• 1940 penny
• 1940 half crown
• 1941 shilling
• Coins and currency dated 1940
• return to coins of Ireland