Nummorum in Hibernia

Nummorum in Hibernia

In 1928, the first Irish Free State coin designs were struck. Over the years the coins depicted red deer, a woodcock, a horse, salmon, a bull, an Irish wolfhound, a hare and a hen. Much earlier, about 1534, Henry VIII introduced a coinage of groats and halfgroats which carried for the first time the harp as the symbol for Ireland. At this time, he also changed his title 'Lord of Ireland' to King (Rex). Earlier still, are those first coins minted in Ireland. Nos. 13 to 17 in Table II of Nils Keder's Nummorum in Hibernia (1708) depicts coins produced for Sitric, a Hiberno-Norse King of Dublin, about A.D. 995. They bear the head and name of the King and the word 'Dyflin' for Dublin.

Nils Keder, Nummorum in Hibernia. [Leipzig], J. Fridericum Gleditsch, 1708. DeB Gb 1704 K

University of Otago Eire a Moradh - Singing the Praises of Ireland, Special Collections Exhibition from the University of Otago Library <