Coin

½ Penny (1942) — Ireland

Ireland • 1942 • KM# 10, Sp# 6644

Overview

A 1942 Irish 1/2 Penny coin, from the Pre-Decimal series, featuring a sow standing left with five piglets.

Specifications

Country: Ireland
Year: 1942
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: Reported mintage of 6,931,200 is high, but circulation attrition, currency-reform meltdowns, and low collector-preservation rates mean uncirculated (MS-63+) examples are meaningfully scarcer than the raw figure suggests. Check third-party population reports (PCGS/NGC) for realistic survival in top grades.
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

Issued during the period known in Ireland as The Emergency, this bronze half penny was part of the currency system established after the 1937 Constitution. Despite Ireland's neutrality during World War II, the nation maintained its established coinage patterns while navigating economic isolation. This 1942 issue served the daily transactions of a largely agrarian society during a time of strict rationing and resource preservation.

Design heritage

The motifs were created by English sculptor Percy Metcalfe, who won a 1928 competition to design the new Irish Free State coinage. The obverse features the Cláirseach, or Brian Boru harp, which serves as the national emblem of Ireland. The reverse depicts a sow with her piglets, a design intended to represent the importance of agriculture and the fertility of the Irish land.

Varieties and technical notes

This issue was struck at the Royal Mint in London with a plain edge and a standard medallic alignment. Collectors typically look for differences in strike quality, as surviving specimens often show weakness in the harp strings or the pig's bristles. While no major die varieties are recognized for 1942, the bronze composition is prone to developing a dark chocolate patina over time.

Survival and modern availability

With a mintage exceeding six million pieces, the 1942 half penny remains relatively accessible to collectors in circulated grades. Many examples were phased out and eventually demonetized following Ireland's decimalization in 1971, leading to significant quantities being melted or lost to attrition. Uncirculated examples with original mint red luster are considerably more difficult to locate than brown, circulated specimens.

Other ½ Penny issues

Explore more

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