Coins from Ireland

According to the Krause the Ireland coinage started in 1928.
I read that Ireland became free from the British in 1921, and came to my mind 2 questions.

1- Which coins where used in Ireland until 1921 ? England coins ?
2- Which coins where used between 1921 and 1928 ?

 

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Goosen,British coins were still in use until 1928,but the Irish trading banks still issued their own distinctive notes,until these were replaced by a uniform design,which differed in the name of the banks.Further information about Irish notes,which remain popular with British Commonwealth collectors can be found here;
www.irishpapermoney.com . Ireland was established as a Dominion within the British Empire in 1921,but the Anglo-Irish Treaty was not signed until 1922,when a Provisional Government under Arthur Griffith was established.The Irish Free State's constitution was adopted during 1922.The constitutional arrangement was the British King,who was represented by the Governor-General of the Irish Free State,who was appointed in the same way as the Governor-General of Canada then was,& a bicameral (2 Houses)Parliament called the Seanad (Senate),& the Dail.Ireland was one of the original members of the British Commonwealth,which was established with the promulgation of the Statute of Westminster in 1931.The other Dominions were Canada,Australia,New Zealand,Newfoundland,& South Africa.In 1937,Ireland adopted a new constitution to replace the Constitution of 1922.The Governor-Generalship was abolished & replaced by the President of Eire,but the King was retained under the terms of the External Relations Act,1936.The Republic of Ireland Act was passed in 1948,which came into effect on the 18th of April 1949,when the decision to withdraw from the British Commonwealth came into effect,as a republic then could not continue to be a member of the British Commonwealth.Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) was known to have personally begged that Ireland remain a part of the British Commonwealth.She was the last Queen of Ireland.However,the rule that a republic could not remain a member of the British Commonwealth was scrapped in late 1949,when India was granted special dispensation to remain in the British Commonwealth after becoming a republic in January 1950.In recent years,a political organisation has been formed with the return of Ireland to the British Commonwealth as one of its aims called the Reform Movement,who can be found here; www.reform.org .A number of prominent people in Ireland are known to hold strong pro-British Commonwealth sympathies.These include Mary Robinson,President of Ireland (1990-97),Mary McAleese,President of Ireland (since 1997),& Eamon O'Cuiv (Eamon de Valera's grandson).Mary McAleese is from Northern Ireland & is also therefore a British subject,as Ireland's constitution allows for dual-citizenship.So when the President of Ireland meets with Queen Elizabeth II,it is actually a meeting between the monarch & one of her subjects.

Aidan.

 

Ireland was completely independent by WWII

Unlike the real commonwealth members you mention, the Republic of Ireland refused to fight (or even black out their cities) during WWII. When Churchill asked them to black out, they asked Churchill to withdraw from the 6 counties of the north (which he wouldn't). Unlike Irish coinage, which features a harp on the reverse (since 1928), the commonwealth coinage featured the English king or queen.

I think you are confusing the occupied north (which is still part of the UK) with the independent Republic. Today, the republic uses euros, while the UK (while a member of the European Union) still uses pounds in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Just my $.02

 

Tuco,like I said,Ireland's Reform Movement has the return of Ireland into the British Commonwealth as one of its aims.Please read the Reform Movement's website,& you will find out.

Aidan.

 

But Ireland alway has had, and always will have, a different relationship to Great Britain than other nations that are in the Commonwealth. De Valera didn't oppose the enlisting of 50,000 Irish nationals in the British Armed Forces during the War, the emigration of 93,000 to Great Britain (which caused them to risk conscription), nor did he fight the imposition of conscription in the six northern counties. And I say this as a Presbyterian and an American of English heritage. Neither of which are groups which traditionally have been pro-republican (in Ireland).

 

I always thought that they also refueled German submarines during the war. Might just be a viscous rumor, but I like spreading it along.

 

BTW - the Irish pound from before the euro is one of my favorites. Big, not too heavy (thin), and a nice pic of a reindeer sort of thing on it.

 

It was called the "punt"

and they were nice pieces.

 

Hmm, isn't punt the Irish word for pound? The pre-euro notes from Ireland said "punt" on one side and "pounds" on the other. So as long as we write in English here, pound(s) should be OK methinks ...

And yes, many of the punt/pingin coins were nicely designed. That is also why I was so surprised by the relatively dull designs Ireland picked for its euro/cent coins.

Christian

 

Punt is the Erse word for 'Pound'.I always refer to the currency as the Irish Pound,which had IR before the Pound sign.

Aidan.

 

Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland,or Ulster is one of the 4 British nations.The majority of the people are Protestants of Scots & English descent.Ulster is the only one of the British nations to have put a plastic note into circulation - the 2000 5 Pounds of the Northern Bank,which is still remaining legal tender,despite the recent robbery by the criminals from Sinn Fein/I.R.A.

Aidan.

 

Okay, the political aspects of the last few posts are overpowering the numismatics, so let's talk about something else.