Irish shilling coin
Encyclopedia
The shilling coin was a subdivision of the pre-decimal Irish pound
, worth 1/20 of a pound.
The original minting of the coin from 1928 until 1942 contained 75% silver
; this Irish coin had a higher content than the equivalent British coin. These earlier coins were noticeably different than their later counterparts as they were of a lighter hue than the cupronickel
coins minted from 1951, and they resisted wear less well. The cupronickel coin contained 75% copper
and 25% nickel
.
The coin measured 0.935 inches (23.7 mm) in diameter and weighed 5.655 gram
s; this did not change with cupro-nickel coin. The last shillings were minted in 1968. When the currency was decimalised, this coin continued to circulate alongside its replacement five pence (which also featured a bull on the reverse); the shilling was finally withdrawn from circulation on 1 January 1993 as a smaller five pence coin was introduced.
The reverse design featuring a bull
was by English artist Percy Metcalfe
. The obverse featured the Irish harp
. From 1928 to 1937 the date was split either side of the harp with the name saorstát éireann
circling around. From 1938 to 1968 the inscription changed to éire
on the left of the harp and the date on the right.
Irish pound
The Irish pound was the currency of Ireland until 2002. Its ISO 4217 code was IEP, and the usual notation was the prefix £...
, worth 1/20 of a pound.
The original minting of the coin from 1928 until 1942 contained 75% silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
; this Irish coin had a higher content than the equivalent British coin. These earlier coins were noticeably different than their later counterparts as they were of a lighter hue than the cupronickel
Cupronickel
Cupronickel or copper-nickel or "cupernickel" is an alloy of copper that contains nickel and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. Cupronickel is highly resistant to corrosion in seawater, because its electrode potential is adjusted to be neutral with regard to seawater...
coins minted from 1951, and they resisted wear less well. The cupronickel coin contained 75% copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
and 25% nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
.
The coin measured 0.935 inches (23.7 mm) in diameter and weighed 5.655 gram
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
s; this did not change with cupro-nickel coin. The last shillings were minted in 1968. When the currency was decimalised, this coin continued to circulate alongside its replacement five pence (which also featured a bull on the reverse); the shilling was finally withdrawn from circulation on 1 January 1993 as a smaller five pence coin was introduced.
The reverse design featuring a bull
Bull
Bull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
was by English artist Percy Metcalfe
Percy Metcalfe
Percy Metcalfe, CVO, RDI , was an English artist sculptor and designer.He studied art in Leeds, and in 1914 attended the Royal College of Art London....
. The obverse featured the Irish harp
Clàrsach
Clàrsach or Cláirseach , is the generic Gaelic word for 'a harp', as derived from Middle Irish...
. From 1928 to 1937 the date was split either side of the harp with the name saorstát éireann
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
circling around. From 1938 to 1968 the inscription changed to éire
Éire
is the Irish name for the island of Ireland and the sovereign state of the same name.- Etymology :The modern Irish Éire evolved from the Old Irish word Ériu, which was the name of a Gaelic goddess. Ériu is generally believed to have been the matron goddess of Ireland, a goddess of sovereignty, or...
on the left of the harp and the date on the right.