Coin

½ Crown = 2 Shillings 6 Pence (1941) — Ireland

Ireland • 1941 • KM# 16, Sp# 6633

½ Crown = 2 Shillings 6 Pence (1941) — Ireland

Overview

Pre Decimal ½ Crown coin from 1941.

Specifications

Country
Ireland
Year
1941
Composition
Silver
Weight
14.138 g
Diameter
32.31 mm
Thickness
1.9 mm
Mint
Royal Mint (Tower Hill), London, United Kingdom
Shape
Round
Technique
Milled
References
KM# 16, Sp# 6633
Issuer
Ireland

Design details

Obverse

Irish harp with the country name to the left and the date to the right

Reverse

An Irish Hunter horse facing left with the denomination below

Collector insights

  • Wartime issue: Struck during the Second World War, when many mints substituted base metals (zinc, steel, low-fineness alloys) for copper and nickel diverted to munitions. Surviving high-grade examples are disproportionately scarce.
  • Design heritage: Percy Metcalfe is credited as the designer for the Pre Decimal 1939-1969 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 320,000. 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.
  • 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 KM# 16, Sp# 6633. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

Curator Insights

Historical context

During the period of the Second World War, known in Ireland as The Emergency, the Irish Free State maintained neutrality while continuing its coinage production through the Royal Mint in London. This 1941 issue was minted under the Currency Act of 1927, which established the distinct national identity of Irish coinage following independence. Despite the global conflict and rising silver costs, Ireland continued to issue high-denomination silver coins until the alloy was debased to cupro-nickel in 1951.

Design heritage

The motifs were created by English sculptor Percy Metcalfe, who won the 1928 design competition for the new Irish state. The obverse features the Cláirseach, a traditional Gaelic harp, which serves as the national emblem of Ireland. The reverse depicts an Irish Hunter horse, reflecting the importance of the equine industry and agricultural heritage to the Irish economy during the mid-20th century.

Varieties and technical notes

This issue features a standard milled edge and was produced at the Royal Mint's Tower Hill facility. Collectors typically look for consistency in the harp strings on the obverse and the definition of the horse's musculature on the reverse. As a business strike from the 1939-1943 silver series, focus should be placed on detecting edge knocks which are common on these large 32.31mm modules.

Survival and modern availability

The 1941 half crown had a relatively low mintage of 320,000 pieces, making it significantly scarcer than later cupro-nickel issues. Many examples were lost to circulation attrition or melted down during the transition to decimalization and the withdrawal of silver coinage. High-grade specimens are difficult to locate as the soft silver composition was prone to heavy surface wear in general commerce.

More from Ireland

Other ½ Crown = 2 Shillings 6 Pence issues

Explore more

Browse more items in the full catalog or view Ireland in the country guide.