Need someone to point me in the right direction with my Ancient hunt.

I originally thought it would be fun to find coinage in use when my ancestors ruled Ireland. Specifically when the High King ruled A.D. 379 to A.D. 405. However, it seems that the Irish probably used metal rings or maybe metal ornaments, or swords, or farm implements, or maybe toe rings during that time period.......but no coins unless those that filtered in from the Romans or Gauls, which were probably hammered down for swords, farm implements, or toe rings.

So I will probably have to extend it into later dates. The family dynasty ruled for centuries.

I'm looking for suggestions. What do you think would make a good representation of what was used for currency during the reign of my ancestors which extended for 600 years or so?

 

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ring money?

 

Thanks LaCointessa. That's what I was alluding to with the ring thing, but hoping for coins, which would have to be from later in the dynasty.

 

The Romans never crossed the Irish Sea to invade - officially - so like many peoples not conquered, they did not have to pay the Tribute to Rome ... which for many remote cultures in Europe initiated the production of coinage as we know it.

The Romans obviously knew of Ireland's existence as it is identified as "Hibernia" on many Roman maps. So there must have been some sort of reconnaissance or perhaps knowledge transfer from the British (just using this term for clarity) peoples. There may have also been some basic trade and/or raids for potential slaves.. slave raids are very likely.
My guess is that Britain was cold and rainy enough .. - why double down? Let's head back to sunny Italy!

As for your family "ruling Ireland"... I am sorry but that is not something you should consider fact at all. Nice family story but no.....

My parents are from Dublin .. I have visited many times. My uncle used to own a pub. So they sort of ruled Ireland too.

 

The first coins produced in Ireland are the Hiberno-Norse pennies that were struck by the Norse in Dublin in the late 10th century. They are copies of the pennies issued by Aethelred II in England. This it's an example, not my coin.

It was struck by Sihtric III who was ruler of Dublin. Once Norse power was broken in 1014 at the battle of Clontraf the coinage slowly declines in quality and volume. By the late 11th and early 12th century it is very crude. It is my understanding that there is some debate as to who was minting the coins. Was it the native Irish or the Norse? Eventually by the mid 12th century coinage production ends. It isn't until John is made lord of Ireland that regular production of coins is resumed in the late 12th century. This is an example of his 2nd DOMinus issue, a halfpenny. Not my coin.

Hiberno-Norse coinage can be very expensive, $1000s per coin. Anglo-Irish coinage is much less expensive. The early issues of John cost around $1000 for excellent examples, and fall in price from there. Irish pennies of Edward I are plentiful and cost around $100.

 

"slaves and cattle were an accepted medium of large exchange. Presumably smaller exchanges were made on a similar basis with tools and ornaments."
From, early coin use in Ireland .

Well, there would have to be a decent amount of storage space for slaves and cattle. Tools are fun to collect, but heavy and also take up a lot of space. I guess ornaments are jewelry of all sorts?

 

yum...

 

I have one of those Hiberno-Norse coins @TheRed mentioned:


Sihtric III Olafsson (Silkbeard) (995-1036), Dublin mint, Phase II ca. 1025-35, Ndremin moneyer

Here are my historical notes on the coin. There is a connection with Irish ancestry:
Issued during a tumultuous period when various Norse and Irish clans were competing for control of the island. Sihtric (or Sigtrygg) was actually of dual descent, and he fought with both Irish and Norse allies, depending on the situation. He was connected at various times with the founder of the O'Brian dynasty Brian Boru (his father in law), the Ui Neill clan, and king Cnut of England, among others, and he features in both Norse saga and Irish story. He may also be descended from Ivar the Boneless (cf. Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom) and Ragnar Lothbrok (the hero of the History Channel's Vikings).

Well, he's talking about about 64 generations ago. When you go that far back, we're probably all related to the then-ruling family of Ireland (at least if they had descendants at all...)

 

I used to teach 6th grade math. If a student became disruptive, I would threaten to prove that mathematically, he (almost always he) didn't exist.

Of course, he would take me up on it. So we started with his parents and then grandparents and then great-parents, drawing a branching tree on the board, and he would agree that if any of those people didn't exist, he wouldn't be here. Then we would estimate how many years a typical generation would be and how many generations there have been over the last 10,000 years or so, and agree that if any of those descendants didn't exist, he wouldn't exist, Then we'd look at the numbers: 2 ancestors, 4 ancestors, 8, 16, etc. You don't have to go back very far before those numbers become astronomical. Before long it appears that the number of people who had to exist in order for that student to exist far exceeded the total number of people who existed in all of human history. Since that student needed more ancestors than could possibly have existed in order for him to be born, that student obviously didn't exist.

At which point there would be a quiet "poof!" and the student would disappear with only a slight trace of bluish smoke left. Disruption solved.

Although I did have some angry parents.

 

From what I understand, Niall Noigiallach was the High King of Ireland and conquered a large portion of Britain which helped loosen the Romans control. He also took control of portions of what is now France. He ruled over the majority of Ireland (at least the northern part) which was later broken up amongst his sons who each ruled a portion of Ireland. His descendants went on to control Ireland for around 600 years.

I just thought it would be fun to have something from that period of time that related to me. Of course, there are about 3 million other people that are related to him too.

I can relate to this coin this morning for some reason.

I think my neighbors might complain.

You all have given me some great suggestions.

 

I have his DNA anyway.

 

You could collect Roman coins from the period of Saint Patrick (5th Century)

(These are not mine—not yet anyway )—Just kidding!

 

Those are nice. They should fall during the period when Niall Noigiallach's son's ruled. Sure beat the gold donuts and the cattle.

 

Genius....Absolutely GENIUS!!