Coin
½ Reul = 3 Pence (1935) — Ireland
Ireland • 1935 • KM# 4, Sp# 6629
Overview
Irish Free State 3 Pence coin from 1935.
Specifications
- Country
- Ireland
- Year
- 1935
- Composition
- Nickel
- Weight
- 3.24 g
- Diameter
- 17.5 mm
- Thickness
- 1.72 mm
- Mint
- Royal Mint (Tower Hill), London, United Kingdom
- Shape
- Round
- Technique
- Milled
- References
- KM# 4, Sp# 6629
- Issuer
- Ireland
Design details
Obverse
The date was split either side of the harp with the name Saorstát Éireann circling around.
Reverse
Seated hare, facing left with the words leat & reul 3d
Collector insights
- Design heritage: Percy Metcalfe is credited as the designer for the Irish Free State 1928-1937 series. Designer attribution helps distinguish this issue from later restrikes or unofficial copies that reuse only the motif.
- Struck at: Royal Mint (Tower Hill), London, United Kingdom. Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
- Mintage vs. survival: A moderate mintage of 240,000. Grade rarity is usually the driver of value here — mid-grade circulated pieces are common, but original-surface uncirculated coins can command a strong premium.
- Catalogue reference: Listed as
KM# 4, Sp# 6629. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.
Curator Insights
Historical context
During 1935, Ireland operated as the Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann), a period defined by the assertion of fiscal autonomy from Great Britain. This issue represents the final year of the primary Irish Free State coinage series before the transition to the 'Éire' legends in 1939. The reul denomination remained a core component of the pre-decimal currency system introduced to reflect Irish cultural identity through its iconography.
Design heritage
The reverse features a seated hare designed by Percy Metcalfe, an English artist who won the public competition for the new Irish coinage. The obverse displays the Cláirseach, or Gaelic harp, which serves as the national emblem of Ireland. Metcalfe's work on this series is frequently cited for its modern, clean lines that diverged from typical British imperial coinage of the era.
Varieties and technical notes
This 1935 issue was struck at the Royal Mint in London with a plain edge and a milled technique. Collectors should focus on the quality of the strike on the hare's fur and the clarity of the harp strings on the obverse. While no major die varieties are recognized for this specific year, specimens should be checked for typical minor die cracks and planchet flaws common to nickel strikes of this period.
Survival and modern availability
With a mintage of 240,000, the 1935 threepence is a key date within the short-lived Irish Free State nickel series. Many of these coins suffered from high circulation attrition and were later withdrawn following decimalization in 1971. High-grade examples are particularly scarce because the pure nickel composition was prone to unsightly surface contact marks during its years in commerce.
Related pieces
More from Ireland
Explore more
Browse more items in the full catalog or view Ireland in the country guide.