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<p>[QUOTE="Coinsandmedals, post: 3791971, member: 107435"]Very interesting piece! It is always nice to see a piece of Irish copper as the center of a conversation. This piece is, without a doubt, is a non-regal "coin". Ireland was not immune from the copper shortage and this "coin" likely witnessed a good deal of circulation.</p><p><br /></p><p>Although there is no mention of non-regal pieces, here are a few excerpts from my Irish copper custom set:</p><p><br /></p><p>"Before 1680, the majority of coins circulating in Ireland were foreign with a notable amount of English and Spanish pieces passing as legal tender. Most of this foreign currency alongside what little truly Irish coinage remained was either silver or gold. Little to no legal tender copper coinage circulated in Ireland. Numerous tokens, such as those commonly dubbed the St. Patrick’s issues, and counterfeits circulated freely in commerce simply because no other alternative was available. Conducting business required coin and business could not stop simply because regal coinage was non-existent. Despite several contracts to strike coinage, Ireland’s shortage of lower denomination coins (mainly copper) would go mostly unresolved until 1769. Throughout these times workers were often paid with private tokens or IOUs that could be collected only once enough money had been earned to merit a gold coin. The employee would then have to find change for this gold piece on their own to be able to purchase any goods or services. The title of this registry set reflects the struggles of the average Irishman in a historical context that was plagued by such a shortage of the very coins contained within this collection."</p><p><br /></p><p>"George III succeeded George II on October 25th, 1760 and would not issue coins with his portrait for Ireland until 1769. This first contract was for 50 tons of halfpence. These coins were slightly heavier than those struck under George II at 134 as opposed to the 126 grains. This would yield somewhere around 5,850,746 halfpence. Another contract was secured in 1769 for an additional 50 tons of halfpence of the same weight. This would have yielded an additional 5,850,746 halfpence dated 1769. Although I was unable to locate dates or the total weight of these contracts, it appears another occurred which resulted in halfpence being struck 1775-76 and again in 1781-82. All of the coins discussed thus far were struck at the Tower of London: however, those dated 1766 and 1769 portray a younger bust of George III than those dated 1775 and later. It should be noted that counterfeits of these coins ran rampant partially due to the extreme shortage of copper currency that led up until the early 1800s. The unification of Ireland and Great Britain on January 1st, 1801 did little to help the coinage shortage in Ireland. It would not be until 1805 before another batch of Irish copper would be struck, this time by the Soho Mint."[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Coinsandmedals, post: 3791971, member: 107435"]Very interesting piece! It is always nice to see a piece of Irish copper as the center of a conversation. This piece is, without a doubt, is a non-regal "coin". Ireland was not immune from the copper shortage and this "coin" likely witnessed a good deal of circulation. Although there is no mention of non-regal pieces, here are a few excerpts from my Irish copper custom set: "Before 1680, the majority of coins circulating in Ireland were foreign with a notable amount of English and Spanish pieces passing as legal tender. Most of this foreign currency alongside what little truly Irish coinage remained was either silver or gold. Little to no legal tender copper coinage circulated in Ireland. Numerous tokens, such as those commonly dubbed the St. Patrick’s issues, and counterfeits circulated freely in commerce simply because no other alternative was available. Conducting business required coin and business could not stop simply because regal coinage was non-existent. Despite several contracts to strike coinage, Ireland’s shortage of lower denomination coins (mainly copper) would go mostly unresolved until 1769. Throughout these times workers were often paid with private tokens or IOUs that could be collected only once enough money had been earned to merit a gold coin. The employee would then have to find change for this gold piece on their own to be able to purchase any goods or services. The title of this registry set reflects the struggles of the average Irishman in a historical context that was plagued by such a shortage of the very coins contained within this collection." "George III succeeded George II on October 25th, 1760 and would not issue coins with his portrait for Ireland until 1769. This first contract was for 50 tons of halfpence. These coins were slightly heavier than those struck under George II at 134 as opposed to the 126 grains. This would yield somewhere around 5,850,746 halfpence. Another contract was secured in 1769 for an additional 50 tons of halfpence of the same weight. This would have yielded an additional 5,850,746 halfpence dated 1769. Although I was unable to locate dates or the total weight of these contracts, it appears another occurred which resulted in halfpence being struck 1775-76 and again in 1781-82. All of the coins discussed thus far were struck at the Tower of London: however, those dated 1766 and 1769 portray a younger bust of George III than those dated 1775 and later. It should be noted that counterfeits of these coins ran rampant partially due to the extreme shortage of copper currency that led up until the early 1800s. The unification of Ireland and Great Britain on January 1st, 1801 did little to help the coinage shortage in Ireland. It would not be until 1805 before another batch of Irish copper would be struck, this time by the Soho Mint."[/QUOTE]
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