These pages show the different types of circulating coins produced in the (republic of) Ireland. My target audience is not so much the serious numismatist, but more the novice and casual collector. Coins can be collected in various manners: coins for circulation versus coins for collectors, individual coins versus sets or rolls, circulated coins versus mint state, every date and mint mark versus major types. This Web site presents information to help with assembling a "type" collection of individual circulated Ireland coins. What is "type" collecting? Type collecting is assembling coins of different designs. A type set generally excludes minor variations that include the same basic design. Examples are date change, and mint marks. Major variations in coin composition (such as a switch from 75% silver to copper-nickel) constitute a type change, but a minor variation (such as a change in number of beads at the rim) do not represent a type change. Different collectors will have their own opinions of what coins should be included in a type collection. The following is my interpretation of significant year-to-year changes in Ireland circulating coins. The monetary system of Ireland proceeded as follows: 1939-1969 4 Farthings = 1 Penny (Pence) 12 Pence = 1 Shilling 2 Shillings = 1 Florin 5 Shillings = 1 Crown 20 Shillings = 1 Pound 1969-2000 100 Pence = 1 Pound 2002- 100 Cents = 1 Euro 1 farthing Starting with 1939-1966 1/2 penny Starting with 1939-1967 1 penny Starting with 1938-1968 3 pence Starting with 1939-1940 6 pence Starting with 1939-1940 1 shilling Starting with 1939-1942 1 florin Starting with 1939-1943 1/2 crown Starting with 1939-1943 10 shillings Starting with 1966 2 pence Starting with 1971-1988 5 pence Starting with 1969-1990 10 pence Starting with 1969-1986 20 pence Starting with 1986-2000 50 pence Starting with 1970-2000 1 pound Starting with 1990-2000 1 Euro cent Starting with 2002 2 Euro cent Starting with 2002 5 Euro cent Starting with 2002 10 Euro cent Starting with 2002 20 Euro cent Starting with 2002 50 Euro cent Starting with 2002 1 Euro Starting with 2002 2 Euros Starting with 2002 References: - 1994 Standard Catalog of World Coins, by Chester L. Krause and Clifford Mishler, 1993. - 2009 Standard Catalog of World Coins 2001-date, by Colin Bruce and Thomas Michael, 2008. - The Guidebook and Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins, 3rd Edition, 1649-1971, by Jerome Remick, Somer James, Anthony Dowle, and Patrick Finn, 1971

Other web pages of interest: Coins on Stamps: Ireland Irish Free State Coins: Type Collecting United Kingdom Coins: Type Collecting Swedish Coins: Type Collecting United States Coins: Type Collecting Canadian Coins: Type Collecting Chronology of Canadian Coins This Day in History