Coin
½ Crown Dublin Siege coinage — Ireland
Ireland • Sp# 6543, KM# 53
Overview
A silver ½ Crown coin from Ireland, issued as emergency siege coinage during the Great Rebellion in 1642-1643. Striking took place during the siege of Dublin using a crude die on an irregular octagonal flan cut from plate silver. Both the obverse and reverse identically display the denomination 'S D II VI' (two shillings, six pence) within a thin inner circle.
Specifications
- Country
- Ireland
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 14.24 g
- Shape
- Octagonal (8-sided, Irregular)
- Technique
- Hammered
- References
- Sp# 6543, KM# 53
- Issuer
- Ireland
Design details
Obverse
Denomination in two parts left-to-right within thin inner circle and reeded border. Script: Latin Lettering: S D II · VI Unabridged legend: Shillings Pence II VI Translation: Two shillings, six pence
Reverse
Denomination in two parts left-to-right within thin inner circle and reeded border. Script: Latin Lettering: S D II · VI Unabridged legend: Shillings Pence II VI Translation: Two shillings, six pence
Collector insights
- Series context: Part of the Emergency coinage › Siege coins series — collectors typically assemble full-year date runs, so single years within an established series carry demand beyond raw mintage.
- Precious metal content: Silver — bullion value provides a price floor, and many circulated examples were melted during the 1979–1980 and post-2010 silver spikes, reducing the surviving population.
- Catalogue reference: Listed as
Sp# 6543, KM# 53. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.
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Explore more
Browse more items in the full catalog or view Ireland in the country guide.