PREVIEW: THE ‘GOOD MONEY’ COLLECTION OF HAMMERED IRISH COINS 27 SEPTEMBER

Just as coins are effectively historical documents, so auction catalogues dedicated to specific coinages and periods can play a similar role. This is the case with Noonans’ 27 September sale of The ‘Good Money’ Collection of Hammered Irish Coins.

This snapshot of Irish coinage from its origins in the 10th century, when Viking influence helped establish a system closely based on the English model, is usefully divided into sections charting the fortunes of the country, first under Dublin rule, then at the hands of English monarchs.

As Tim Wilkes, Head of Coins, the introduction of local coinage first took place under the Norse King of Dublin, Sihtric II ‘Silkbeard’ Olafsson, probably in the last few years of the 10th century.

Despite their close appearance to English coins, it is thought that the early coins were minted locally, with more variety emerging after Sihtric’s dethronement in 1036, before a hiatus of 50 years in the early 12th century, when coinage production all but ceased.

The highlight in this section of the sale is a Dublin Penny in imitation of Aethelred II Long Cross / Harold II PAX coinage. Catalogued as better than very fine and extremely rare, it is estimated at £3,000-£4,000.

With Henry II of England’s invasion of Ireland in 1171, currency became vital to the development of trade, even more so when his son John became Lord of Ireland and later concentrated his power over the territory.

Political instability resulting from the Wars of the Roses created the opportunity for the Irish Parliament to introduce its own local coinage that was not interchangeable with English coinage and had a radically different design.

Again, changing political fortunes meant the restoration of English influence under Edward IV and the highlight of this section of the sale is an example of the short-lived Richard III Sun and Roses Drogheda Groat estimated at £5,000-£6,000.

The Dublin mint closed c.1505 under the Tudors, with another hiatus in coinage for 30 years before minting transferred to London. Here Henry VIII appeared to experiment in debasing coinage, a challenge that continued for the rest of the century.

Issuing a joint currency between England and Ireland under James I proved to be a more effective means of bringing about stability.

In this section of the sale the highlight is a shilling from the short-lived reign of Queen Mary (1553-54, and jointly with Philip II of Spain from 1554-58), estimated at £3,000-£4,000.

Coinage splintered under the factions of the Eleven Years War of the 1640s, with a rare ‘Blacksmith’s’ Halfcrown issued by the Confederate Catholics of Kilkenny providing another highlight at £2,000-£2,600.