halfpenny
The decimal halfpenny (p) (leathphingin) coin was the smallest denomination of the Irish pound. It was first issued when the Irish currency was decimalised on Decimal Day, 15 February 1971. It was one of three new designs introduced all in bronze and featuring ornamental birds on the reverse.
halfpenny
- Field
- coin
- Region
- Ireland
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getty · 500011907 · wikidata · Q4203381
In this article
Overview
Overview
The coin value was weakened by inflation and very few were produced beyond the initial run for 1971. It was removed from circulation and demonetised on 1 January 1987.
Key facts
Key facts
• Country — Ireland • Denomination — Halfpenny / Leathphingin • Unit — penny • Mass — 1.78 • Diameter — 17.14 • Thickness — approx. 1 • Edge — Plain • Composition — Bronze • Years Of Minting — 1971–1986 • Obverse Design — Irish harp • Obverse Design Date — 1971 (first use 1928) • Reverse Design — Ornamental bird • Reverse Designer — Gabriel Hayes • Reverse Design Date — 1971
Overview
Overview
The main reason that halfpennies were issued was that when shillings were decimalised they were worth five new pence, so a sixpence (half of a shilling) yielded a value of 2 new pence. Its dimensions and appearance were the same as the British coin of the same denomination as the pounds of Britain and Ireland were pegged until 1979. The coin was designed by the Irish artist Gabriel Hayes and the design is adapted from the manuscript Cologne Collectio Canonum (Cologne, Dombibliothek Cod. 213) in Cologne. The coin has a diameter of 1.7145 centimetres and mass of 1.782 grams consisting of copper, tin and zinc. The coin was worth of an Irish pound. The 1985 version of this coin is particularly rare, and valuable to coin collectors – the vast majority of the 2.8 million were melted in 1987. The 1986 coin was only produced for the 1986 specimen sets and is also rare.
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- Ireland
Named but not plotted · 1
halfpenny is associated with Ireland.
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Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Halfpenny (Irish decimal coin), revision 1333906489 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
References
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References
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General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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