Coin

½ Penny (1941) — Ireland

Ireland • 1941 • KM# 10, Sp# 6644

Overview

A 1941 Irish 1/2 Penny coin, from the Pre-Decimal series, featuring a sow standing left with five piglets.

Specifications

Country: Ireland
Year: 1941
Composition: Bronze
Weight: 5.67 g
Diameter: 25.5 mm
Thickness: 1.6 mm
Mint: Royal Mint (Tower Hill), London, United Kingdom
Shape: Round
Technique: Milled
References: KM# 10, Sp# 6644
Issuer: Ireland

Design details

Obverse

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

Reverse

Sow standing left with five piglets

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 2,400,000. 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# 10, Sp# 6644. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

Curator Insights

Historical context

During 1941, Ireland remained neutral throughout the Second World War, a period known domestically as The Emergency. This issue was part of the ongoing pre-decimal currency system established after independence, maintaining a link to the British pound's weight and dimensions. Production remained consistent to support local commerce despite global trade disruptions affecting metallurgy.

Design heritage

Percy Metcalfe designed the motifs, having won the 1928 competition for the original Irish Free State coinage. The obverse features the Cláirseach, a traditional Gaelic harp modeled after the Trinity College Harp, while the reverse depicts a sow with her litter. Metcalfe is also well-known for his work on the 1924 British Empire Exhibition coinage and the portraits of several Commonwealth monarchs.

Varieties and technical notes

This denomination features a plain edge and a round shape, struck at the Royal Mint in London. Collectors should examine the strike quality on the piglets' details, as die wear is common in high-mintage bronze issues. As no specific die varieties are recorded for this year, focus should be on the preservation of the original luster and the absence of carbon spots.

Survival and modern availability

A total of 2.4 million pieces were minted for the 1941 issue, a moderate figure for the series. Many specimens were removed from circulation following the decimalization process in 1971, which rendered the half penny obsolete. While plentiful in circulated grades, examples in Red or Red-Brown Mint State condition occupy a smaller percentage of the remaining population due to the reactive nature of the bronze alloy.

Other ½ Penny issues

Explore more

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