Ireland 1689 Jan shilling
The first specimen was lot 42339 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $630. The catalog description[1] noted, "IRELAND. Gun Money Shilling, 1689 (Jan). Dublin Mint. James II. PCGS AU-58." The second specimen was lot 75370 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Online Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, May 2025), where it sold for $3,360. The catalog description[2] noted, "IRELAND. Silver Gun Metal Shilling, 1689 January. Dublin Mint. James II. PCGS EF-40. "Jan" variety. Listed as a Proof only in KM, the present example delivers much originality and charm. With steel gray surfaces and sharp details, this Civil War coinage is sure to garnish spirited bidding from the specialist of the series and the collector with a strong eye. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection." 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 type was struck July 1689-April 1690. This coin, tho dated Jan 1689, was actually struck in January 1690; the Julian calendar used at the time had the new year start in March.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper or brass. The second specimen is silver.
Catalog reference: S-6581G; KM-94; the second specimen is S-6581G5 (4th Edition); KM-94A.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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, The January 2023 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Taraszka Collection and the Mark and Dottie Salton Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
- [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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