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| Slot: |
1782 Ireland ½ Penny |
| Origin/Country: |
IRELAND 1603-1823 |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
1/2P 1782 |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 66 BN |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
With a few notable exceptions, the George III Irish copper struck at the Royal Mint is common. The bulk of these pieces are in lower circulated grades with a couple dozen uncirculated examples showing up during an average auction year. However, they are rarely in gem condition. I would estimate that the bulk of them fall somewhere in the MS-63-64 range. It is incredibly difficult to find an example that is fully struck, free of environmental damage, and well-centered. This example happens to check all three of those boxes and is remarkedly free of contact marks.
Obverse: This obverse design depicts a much younger George III than its later Soho counterparts. The King is depicted facing right with his hair adorned by a wreath of six leaves and two berries. The wreath is tied behind the neck by a ribbon with two bows and two loose ends. The upper bow and loose end protrudes outward behind his head, with the loose end pointing between the "G" and "E" of the legend. The lower bow rests on the rear of his neck, and the lower loose end laps under a large bundle of hair and rests on his right shoulder. The aforementioned large bundle of hair consists of a series of curls that flow behind his shoulders and eventually drape behind the bust toward the rim. Another large locket of hair curls protrudes from under the bust and rests in the area between the shoulder truncation and the rim. A large curl rests above his ear, but unlike other portraits of the King, the hair above his forehead is neatly slicked back. The legend is divided between the bust. The first part, GEORGIVS appears on the left, and the second part, III · REX · appears on the right. It should also be noted that a stop appears just above his head.
Reverse: The reverse portrays a crowned harp with 9 strings. The harp's left side consists of a half-clad woman; her lower half is adorned with what I describe as a mermaid-like fin. Her top half is exposed. Her outstretched left wing makes up the top of the harp, which is met by a curl and a thin bar connecting the top to the back of the harp. Unlike the earlier Irish coinage, the crown seems to rest upon the harp as the harp's top part obscures the inner ring's backside. The inner bottom band (i.e., the inside rim) of the crown is plain, but the outer bottom band (i.e., the outer rim) is decorated with a pattern of precious stones that appears as the following: (◊ : ◊ : ◊ : ◊ : ◊). It should be noted that the gems are horizontal and not vertical, but I could not figure out how to rote the shapes. In the inner center of the crown is a Maltese cross followed by a fleur-de-lis on either side. A Maltese cross appears on the outer side of each fleur-de-lis, and from each top protrudes a bridge adorned with ten beads. These bridges bow out on either side but converge in the middle of the crown conjoined by a nondescript design resting upon the inner center Maltese cross. Resting upon these bridges is an Orb surmounted by another Maltese cross. A single bead further adorns the upper and outer branches of the uppermost Maltese cross. The Legend HIBERNIA . appears above the main device. The date "1782" is divided between the bottom foot of the harp, with "17" occurring at the left and "82" at the right.
Edge: Plain
Notes: I am overjoyed to have this example in my collection, but I find it highly unlikely that I will ever be able to assemble the entire series in such a high state of preservation condition. It is fascinating to think that someone back in 1782 may have stored this coin away so that collectors like me could enjoy it. I can’t help but wonder what stories it might be able to share if it could.
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| Slot: |
1805 Ireland Penny S-6620 Skinner Collection |
| Origin/Country: |
IRELAND 1603-1823 |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
PENNY 1805 Skinner Collection |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 64 RB |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
I have always admired Boulton's Irish coinage, but I have noticed that high-quality pieces are far more challenging to locate than their English counterparts. This makes sense given the difference in mintages between English and Irish coinage and the fact that Irish coins, in general, seem to be hotly contested in the marketplace. This particular example is a penny struck at the Soho Mint for circulation in Ireland. Like their English counterparts, the Irish Pence also did not bear a denomination in their legends. The size and weight of the coin told the entire story. As I have noted before, I have yet to discover an excellent reference book for varieties that even comes close to Peck's caliber. I only provide basic details in my descriptions, followed by some observations that I have made.
Obverse: George III faces right, his head adorned with a wreath of 10 leaves and three berries tied behind his neck with a riband of 1 bow and two loose ends. The top loose end appears to intersect the loop while the bottom loose end floats freely down, and the tip barely touches the upper leftmost curl. The curls of his hair rest behind the neck and on both shoulders. A brooch of 6 square jewels catches the drapery on the right shoulder. The lowest fold of the drapery is plain with a K in roughly the center. The legend which is contained within a thin raised rim and beaded border and is as follows: GEORGIUS III · D: G · REX. all evenly spaced. This particular example is remarkably free of contact marks and is truly premium quality for the grade. A prominent die crack appears starting at the rim just above the "e" in "REX". It extends through the border bead to the top point of the upper serif of the "E" and across to the lower left leg of the "X" and bisects the bust on the left shoulder. A small degree of fining is evident on the rim, indicating high striking pressure. Otherwise, this coin is relatively free of flaws and appears to be a well-struck example.
Reverse: The reverse portrays a crowned harp with 9 strings. The left side of the harp consists of a half-clad woman; her lower half is adorned with what I describe at a mermaid-like fin. Her top half is exposed with her arms depicted as wings that make up the top part of the harp where the crown rests. The bottom band of the crown is decorated with a pattern of precious stones that appears as the following: (· ˑ : · : ·◊· : · : ˑ ·). It should be noted that the center stone should be rotated 180 degrees, but I am not tech-savvy enough to do that. The top of the crown consists of two bridges, one on the left and on the right, which convenes at the top center of the cross located on the top middle of the band just described. Both bridges are decorated with ten beads resting upon a curved bar. However, unlike the other example of the 1805 Irish Pence in this set, the curved bar of the right bridge is complete and does not cease to exist after the 6th bead. Also, unlike the other example, the bottom portions of the crown (used to depict the inner ring where it would rest on the head) is striated.A flaw occurs toward the top of the leftmost harp string and extends to the 3rd but does not impede the design. Note the design of the right arm of the harp. This design becomes less elegant as the denomination decreases. The legend reads as follows: HIBERNIA. with the date 1805 appearing below the main device and is contained within a thin raised rim and beaded borders. All letters and numbers of the legend are without flaws.
Edge: Engrailed
Notes: This is one of the nicest circulation strike 1805 Irish Penny that I have seen. Overall, the piece is well struck, dripping with luster, free of significant distractors, and retaining a good deal of red color. The subtle differences between this example and the MS-63 BN example I have in this set are also intriguing. As I noted, I am unaware of an authoritative guide to Irish copper coinage that details different varieties. It would be interesting to see the subtle differences I highlighted are of any meaningful significance. In terms of numeric grade, NGC has graded two higher ( a 65 BN and a 66 BN), and PCGS has graded only 1 65 BN. This is the only red-brown designated example at either NGC and PCGS and, as such, is a top pop in consideration of color designation. Although these pieces are often deemed "common," they are notoriously difficult to find in truly uncirculated condition and all but impossible to find with any original red color remaining. Of course, their proof counterparts are relatively abundant, and it is often a more economical choice to purchase a well-preserved proof example as opposed to a business strike. This is especially true if you are wanting a RB or RD example.
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| Slot: |
1805 Ireland Proof Penny Skinner Collection with Original Soho Shells |
| Origin/Country: |
Ireland 1603-1823 |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
PENNY 1805 IRELAND Skinner Collection |
| Grade: |
NGC PF 64 RB |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
The proof Irish pennies tend to come up for sale much more frequently than either the farthings or halfpennies, which in part made me pickier about adding an example to my collection. I watched several very nice examples pass through various auction houses without placing a bid, mainly because these coins seemed to be selling for very strong prices. I did not want to pay an exorbitant price for a relatively common coin just to complete a set, but I was willing to pay more for an exceptional coin. I told myself that I would go all-in for a nice cameo piece (either graded or raw) or a nice example with the original shells. After a little over a year of searching, I stumbled upon this piece which nearly checked all of the boxes on my want list. Although not quite to the level deserving the cameo designation, there is a decent amount of contrast between the fields and main devices. Given how scarce cameo examples are in the marketplace I consider this a win that is only further complimented the silver-lined brass shells. The only thing that would have made this purchase better would be a provenance to either the Boulton estate or the Watt Jr collection. As I have noted before, I have yet to discover an excellent reference book for varieties that even comes close to Peck's caliber. I only provide basic details in my descriptions, followed by some observations that I have made.
Obverse: George III faces right, his head adorned with a wreath of 10 leaves and three berries tied behind his neck with a riband of 1 bow and two loose ends. The top loose end appears to intersect the loop while the bottom loose end floats freely down, and the tip barely touches the upper leftmost curl. The curls of his hair rest behind the neck and on both shoulders. A brooch of 6 square jewels catches the drapery on the right shoulder. The lowest fold of the drapery is plain with a K in roughly the center. The legend is contained within a thin raised rim and beaded border and is as follows: GEORGIUS III · D: G · REX. all evenly spaced. This particular example is remarkably free of contact marks and is truly premium quality for the grade and appears to be a well-struck example. Although the images do not accurately depict it, I would estimate that the obverse retains about 80% of its original red luster.
Reverse: The reverse portrays a crowned harp with 9 strings. The left side of the harp consists of a half-clad woman; her lower half is adorned with what I describe as a mermaid-like fin. Her top half is exposed with her arms depicted as wings that make up the top part of the harp where the crown rests. The bottom band of the crown is decorated with a pattern of precious stones that appears as the following: (· ▫· : □ : ·◊· : □ : ·▫). It should be noted that the center stone should be rotated 180 degrees, and the square gems are not in proper proportion or location, but I am not tech-savvy enough to do that. The top of the crown consists of two bridges, one on the left and on the right, which convenes at the top center of the cross located on the top middle of the band just described. Both bridges are decorated with ten beads resting upon a curved bar. The bottom portions of the crown (used to depict the inner ring where it would rest on the head) are striated. Note the design of the right arm of the harp. This design becomes less elegant as the denomination decreases. The legend reads as follows: HIBERNIA. with the date 1805 appearing below the main device and is contained within a thin raised rim and beaded borders. All letters and numbers of the legend are without flaws, except for a small raised dot appearing on the right leg of the last “A” in the legend. Like the obverse, I would estimate that the reverse retains about 80% of its original red luster.
Edge: Engrailed
Notes: I took my time to locate a choice and highly original example of the 1805 proof Irish Penny and I am so glad that I did. This coin is stunning in hand and if it were not for the slightest break in frost on the obverse, I think this coin would have received the coveted cameo designation. The strong contrast between the main devices and the fields paired with the fiery red luster make for an enjoyable viewing experience, but perhaps even more impressive is the fact this coin has retained its original silver-lined brass shells for well over two centuries. Thanks to NGC I can now rest assured that the shells will not be separated from the coin as they are now encapsulated in one holder. Despite the backlog of orders, staff shortages, and endless customer demands, NGC still took the time to help a small-time collector like me. In my opinion, that says a lot about the integrity of the company.
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| Slot: |
1805 Ireland Proof Penny Ex. James Watt Jr. Collection with Original Soho Shells |
| Origin/Country: |
IRELAND 1603-1823 |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
PENNY 1805 COPPER-BRONZED PLAIN EDGE RESTRIKE JAMES WATT COL. |
| Grade: |
NGC PF 65 BN |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
I have a soft spot for the Irish coinage struck at the Soho Mint. I remember being mesmerized by the high-quality Irish pieces from the Boulton Estate when I first discovered Bill McKivor’s website. From that moment on the decision was made – I had to have a nice Irish piece from either the James Watt Jr. or Boulton Family collection. I was fortunate enough to add this blazing example to my collection in 2023. Not only can its ownership be traced over two centuries, but it has also retained the original silver-lined brass shells.
Obverse: George III faces right, his head adorned with a wreath of 10 leaves and three berries tied behind his neck with a riband of 1 bow and two loose ends. The top loose end appears to intersect the loop while the bottom loose end floats freely down, and the tip barely touches the upper leftmost curl. The bow and two loose ends appear lightly striated. The curls of his hair rest behind the neck and on both shoulders. A brooch of 6 well-defined square jewels catches the drapery on the right shoulder. The lowest fold of the drapery is plain with a K in roughly the center. The legend is contained within a thin raised rim and beaded border and is as follows: GEORGIUS III · D: G · REX. all evenly spaced. There is an odd planchet flaw under the “O”. Although not designated on the holder, the obverse has a very deep cameo.
Reverse: The reverse portrays a crowned harp with 9 strings. The left side of the harp consists of a half-clad woman; her lower half is adorned with what I describe as a mermaid-like fin. Her top half is exposed with her arms depicted as wings that make up the top part of the harp where the crown rests. The bottom band of the crown is decorated with a pattern of precious stones that appears as the following: (• · : ? : ·?· : ? : · •). It should be noted that the center stone should be rotated 180 degrees, and the square gems are not in proper proportion or location, but I am not tech-savvy enough to do that. The top of the crown consists of two bridges, one on the left and the right, which convene at the top center of the cross located in the top middle of the band just described. Both bridges are decorated with ten recut beads resting upon a curved bar. The bottom left interior portion of the crown (used to depict the inner ring where it would rest on the head) is plain. The corresponding right side is missing entirely. Note the design of the right arm of the harp. This design becomes less elegant as the denomination decreases. The legend reads as follows: HIBERNIA. With several notable flaws throughout most of the letters. The most obvious appear on the H, I, B, and A. Beyond those flaws, all the letters have been double-struck with a slight counterclockwise rotation. The date 1805 appears below the main device with several notable flaws. For instance, the 8 is missing the top and bottom loops. The entire legend is contained within a thin raised rim and beaded borders. Like the obverse, the reverse has a very deep cameo.
Edge: When verifying the certification number, the data reported indicates that this coin has a plain edge. I am unable to verify this because the coin is an older holder with the prongs.
Notes: The pictures do not do this coin justice because the holder is very scuffed, which makes it difficult to photograph. I am surprised that NGC did not at least assign this coin the cameo designation. Overall, this coin is stunning in hand. My only worry is that I may never have the opportunity to find an equivalent halfpenny and farthing to complete the set. This piece appeared as lot 342 of the Watt Jr. auction and fetched a whopping £280 at the time. Sadly, the catalog description mentions an inscribed wrapper that has seemingly been lost to time, but it has retained the original silver-lined brass shells. Notably, this piece was sold as a single-item lot given the large group lots that preceded it in the catalog.
It is worth noting that this piece is marked as a "plain edge restrike", but is more appropriately classified as a "Late Soho" piece as it was not struck by Taylor.
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| Slot: |
1806 Ireland Farthing |
| Origin/Country: |
IRELAND 1603-1823 |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
1/4P 1806 |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 66 BN |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
This piece is a marked upgrade form the PCGS MS-64 example I previously had in my collection. Oddly enough, both of the business (i.e., currency) strike specimens I have owned were nicely toned. Given their relative availability I tend to hold out for the nicest example that I can find without much fear of waiting an extended period of time before another comes up for sale. This is the most affordable of the Irish coins in this set. As such, it makes for a good starting point for someone wanting to pursue the Irish copper struck at the Soho Mint.
Obverse: George III faces right, his head adorned with a wreath of 9 leaves, and three berries tied behind his neck with a riband of 1 bow and one loose end that flows out to the left and points down. The curls of his hair rest behind the neck and on both shoulders. A brooch of 6 beaded jewels catches the drapery on the right shoulder. The lowest fold of the drapery is plain. The legend which is contained within a thin raised rim and beaded border and reads as follows: GEORGIUS III · D: G · REX. all evenly spaced. This example has numerous die cracks. The most notable of which can be found immediately below the bust. A small groups of flaws arise in front of George’s chin and neck giving the King the appearance of a larger large, and singular unruly beard hair. The underlying mahogany brown luster is strong and uninterrupted by any contact marks, which serves to further enhance the deep fluorescent blue tone.
Reverse: The reverse portrays a crowned harp with nine strings. The left side of the harp consists of a half-clad woman; her lower half is adorned with what I describe at a mermaid-like fin. Her top half is exposed with her arms depicted as wings that make up the top part of the harp where the crown rests. The bottom band of the crown is decorated with a pattern of precious stones that appears as the following: (· · ● · · ● · · ● · ·). The top of the crown consists of two bridges, one on the left and on the right, which convene at the top center of the cross located on the top middle of the band just described. Both bridges are decorated with eight beads resting upon a curved bar. The inner ring of the crown is slightly textured. Note the design of the right arm of the harp; this becomes less elegant as the denomination decreases. The legend reads as follows: HIBERNIA. with the date 1806 appearing below the primary device. All of which is contained within a thin raised rim and beaded borders. The chocolate brown reflective fields are blemish-free with the same deep florescent blue tone found on the obverse.
Edge: Engrailed
Notes: As I alluded to earlier, the proof versions of this coin come up for sale very frequently. In most cases they are well preserved and have a hint of attractive toning, which is markedly absent on the business strike examples. This particular piece has developed a nice deep blue tone that blends in well with the otherwise even brown fields. Although this is an upgrade from my prior example, I sincerely doubt that a more deserving specimen will come to light. This is truly a spectacular coin in a remarkably high grade. The current specimen is a “Top Pop” at both NGC and PCGS. NGC record two others grading MS-66 BN with two other MS-66 examples recorded at PCGS.
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| Slot: |
1822 Ireland Bronzed Proof ½ Penny S-6624 |
| Origin/Country: |
IRELAND 1603-1823 |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
1/2P 1822 BRONZED |
| Grade: |
PCGS PF 63 Brown |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
In doing a little research on this coin, I noticed that several publications erroneously suggest that this coin would have been struck at the Soho Mint by Matthew Boulton. There are several issues with this statement. First, Matthew Boulton, who founded the Soho Mint, died in 1809, and his son Matthew Robinson Boulton took over the mint a short period before his death, so he and not his father would have struck these coins. Second, the Soho Mint never received another order for Irish coins after the first contract had been delivered in March of 1806. These facts make me think that what the authors were trying to say is that these coins were struck by the Royal Mint using the machinery purchased from the Soho Mint owner in 1805 and completely assembled at the new Royal Mint location of Little Tower Hill in the summer of 1807. This seems like a reasonable conclusion, but I would be very interested in hearing what others have to say.
Obverse: The obverse portrays George IV facing left. His hair is adorned with a laurel wreath of 13 leaves and no berries. The individual stems, as well as the midveins of most leaves, are visible. The wreath is tied together behind the neck with a ribbon with one bow and two loose ends, which droop down toward the shoulder. The bust is draped in cloth, which is caught by a round brooch with some indiscernible interior design on the left shoulder. The legend “GEORGIUS IV” occurs to the left of the primary device, and the remaining portion “D : G : REX.” occurs on the right. The rim is thin and raised with a toothed inner border. The entire legend is what one would expect from a proof strike with crisp details and no flaws. The obverse of this coin is fantastic. The deeply-mirrored chocolate brown fields are fully complemented by the neon blue hues throughout. Except for a slight blemish on the “G” in GEORGIUS, this coin is immaculate.
Reverse: The reverse portrays a crowned harp with ten strings. The left side of the harp consists of a half-clad woman; her lower half is adorned with what I describe at a mermaid-like fin. Her top half is exposed with her arms depicted as wings that make up the top part of the harp where the crown rests. The bottom band of the crown is decorated with a pattern of precious stones that appears as the following: (◊ : · : · : ◊ : · : · : о : · : ·: ◊ : · : ·: ◊). It should be noted that the lozenge-shaped gems should be rotated 180 degrees, and the · : · pattern should be closer together to form a cross, but I did not know how to do that in word. The band immediately above the band decorated in gems has a Maltese cross at its center flanked by a fleur-de-Lis on either side with a vertically striated cushion-like design in the background. The outer bands of the crown are decorated with 17 beads and converge in the middle of the inner centered Maltese cross, which is mounted by an orb and cross. The legend “HIBERNIA.” occurs above the primary device with the date “1822” occurring at the bottom below the harp. The rim is thin and raised with a toothed inner border. The reverse of this coin is breathtaking and looks slightly better than the obverse. The same deeply-mirrored chocolate brown fields occur on the reverse, and the neon blue hues are even stronger on the primary device and legend, giving them the appearance of a cameo. This is by far the most attractive proof Irish copper piece I have seen from this period.
Edge: Plain
Weight: 137.0 grains (8.88)
Notes: This coin has unbelievable eye appeal. Believe it or not, the pictures make this coin look dual compared to an in-hand inspection. The blue hues are more prevalent, and they contrast sharply with the chocolate brown fields to give the viewer an illusion of a cameo. I made a deal with myself to only collect the Irish copper from Charles II to George III and that I would eventually use the coinage of IV as a buffer to the much more modern Irish Free State coinage. I violated this deal, but I think I did so for a good reason. It is not very often that a coin comes up for sale that I am just completely captivated by. I noticed this coin in an auction catalog, and knowing that my budget was small, I mostly ignored everything else so that I could focus all of my efforts on this piece. This is one of my top 5 favorite coins in my collection and has a forever home in my box of 20!
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| Slot: |
1823 Ireland Proof ½ Penny S-6624 |
| Origin/Country: |
IRELAND 1603-1823 |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
1/2P 1823 |
| Grade: |
PCGS PF 64 Brown |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
Please note the introductory text is the same between the 1822 and 1823 halfpennies. An erroneous claim has been made for both.
In doing a little research on this coin, I noticed that several publications erroneously suggest that this coin would have been struck at the Soho Mint by Matthew Boulton. There are several issues with this statement. First, Matthew Boulton, who founded the Soho Mint, died in 1809, and his son Matthew Robinson Boulton took over the mint a short period before his death, so he and not his father would have struck these coins. Second, the Soho Mint never received another order for Irish coins after the first contract had been delivered in March of 1806. These facts make me think that what the authors were trying to say is that these coins were struck by the Royal Mint using the machinery purchased from the Soho Mint owner in 1805 and completely assembled at the new Royal Mint location of Little Tower Hill in the summer of 1807. This seems like a reasonable conclusion, but I would be very interested in hearing what others have to say.
Obverse: The obverse portrays George IV facing left. His hair is adorned with a laurel wreath of 13 leaves and no berries. The individual stems, as well as the midveins of most leaves, are visible. The wreath is tied together behind the neck with a ribbon with one bow and two loose ends, which droop down toward the shoulder. The bust is draped in cloth, which is caught by a round brooch with some indiscernible interior design on the left shoulder. The legend GEORGIUS IV occurs to the left of the primary device, and the remaining portion D : G : REX. occurs on the right. The rim is thin and raised with a toothed inner border. The entire legend is what one would expect from a proof strike with crisp details and no flaws.
Reverse: The reverse portrays a crowned harp with ten strings. The left side of the harp consists of a half-clad woman; her lower half is adorned with what I describe at a mermaid-like fin. Her top half is exposed with her arms depicted as wings that make up the top part of the harp where the crown rests. The bottom band of the crown is decorated with a pattern of precious stones that appears as the following: (◊ : · : · : ◊ : · : · : о : · : ·: ◊ : · : ·: ◊). It should be noted that the lozenge-shaped gems should be rotated 180 degrees, and the · : · pattern should be closer together to form a cross, but I did not know how to do that in word. The band immediately above the band decorated in gems has a Maltese cross at its center flanked by a fleur-de-Lis on either side with a vertically striated cushion-like design in the background. The outer bands of the crown are decorated with an undiscernible number of beads and converge in the middle of the inner centered Maltese cross, which is mounted by an orb and cross. The legend HIBERNIA. occurs above the primary device with the date “1823” occurring at the bottom below the harp. The rim is thin and raised with a toothed inner border.
Edge: Plain
Notes: Holy smokes! I never would have imagined that a mate to the neon blue-toned 1822 proof halfpenny existed. My mind was blown when I stumbled upon this example for sale at auction. In an instant I made my mind up – I had to pair these two together. I bid live and ended up paying what I thought was an incredibly fair price. I now oddly completed the George IV proof Irish Halfpenny series even though I was not trying to do so. This coin and its perfectly matched counterpart are two of my favorite pieces and they will forever have a home in my collection.
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