These things are kind of rare, though not as rare as 10 years ago. This was the last year for the halfpenny in Ireland, they made a ton of them but held them out of circulation and ultimately melted them almost all down. Only a few were thought to have survived. But the mint did provide many of them out to makers of Irish coin sets for tourists (this is where the increased population comes from), and I just happened to have one of them and indeed, the 1985 halfpenny was in there. Image below. It was starting to go brown from the cardboard and breakdown of the glue sealing the set so I liberated it and here it is. It's a niche coin but collectors of Irish decimal coins need it for a complete set so it has it's market. Because of rarity, I am going to get it graded but I suspect it's not going to get a great one. Regardless, I'd want to sell it but in the USA where the heck can you find that hardcore collectors of irish decimal money that just gotta have a complete set? I've taken it to local coin places and they all say 'get it graded, then find a specialty place to sell'. Easier said than done. So I'm asking for ideas. Thanks.
Well, again, I learned something on CT. I had no idea that Ireland had minted a Half Penny as late as 1985. I thought you had made a typo in the title. So, thank you. I learned something new today. I've got a really bad 1747 Half Penny from Ireland. I kept it because you can read the date and it's old, like me.
It's only from 1985. Why not hang on to it and see where it goes? I wouldn't have it graded either. Seems like a "hype" sort of thing.
I didn't realize there was such a thing as a rare decimal Irish halfpenny. Apropos of nothing, here's my favorite Irish halfpenny.
I dug a 1782 Hibernia like that while metal detecting an old plantation site here on the north end of Saint Simons Island, GA. It was a contemporary counterfeit. There was also a 1782-A French colonial 2-sous from Cayenne and a 1779-Mo Spanish colonial 2-reales piece, all relatively close together. Might have fallen from the same pocket. Fun stuff for me to come along and dig up, two centuries later. Oops, sorry- I've digressed- and we've kind of strayed from the original topic of this thread (apologies to the OP author). That 1782 halfpenny just sorta sent me off down Memory Lane, is all. .
Both 1985 and 1986 are quite tough, as the denomination was pretty much useless by that point and neither date was introduced to general circulation.
This is a coin that would be fine for eBay. It's rare, but not that rare. There are about 30 graded examples in MS64-67 RED. And PCGS just graded one a PR66 Red that I submitted (for a customer). You're probably looking at a couple hundred dollars for a RB example. These coins have come WAY down in price.
This thread has been an eye-opener for me. As previously mentioned, I had no idea there was such a thing as a rare decimal Irish halfpenny. I do have some experience in Irish coins, having completed all the pre-decimal series from 1928 to 1969. (I had everything but the 1943 florin.) But I stopped with 1969 and never paid any attention to the later decimal issues.
