Ireland 1 pound 1990 - Red Deer - Proof

Ireland · 1990 · 1 pound

Circulating coinUncommonUNC · Uncirculated

€12.00estimate in UNC

42,000coins minted

N1402 KM27 Sp6701 SCHÖN26

JSReference number JSJS-XSV3H

Circulating coin

First year of the Irish one pound coin (1990)

The coin's story

The Irish one pound coin, or punt in Irish, was put into circulation on 20 June 1990. It was the largest Irish coin since decimalisation in 1971, almost the size of the old penny and close in diameter to the half crown, but thinner. Since the Irish pound had ceased to be tied to sterling in 1979, Ireland designed its own coins: this one bears no resemblance to the small, thick, gold-coloured British pound. The reverse shows a red deer, designed by the Irish artist Thomas Ryan from photographs by Seán Ryan taken of the national red deer herd in Killarney National Park. At first, some phone boxes and vending machines set for the new coin also accepted the old penny, of similar size, which cost their operators money. The last coins were struck in 2000, and the Irish pound disappeared with the changeover to the euro in 2002.

ObverseThe Irish Harp

éIRe1990

Design: The Irish harp (cláirseach) in the centre, the national emblem of Ireland.
Legend: éIRe (Ireland), in Gaelic script, to the left of the harp.
Date: The date 1990 is inscribed to the right of the harp.

ReverseThe Red Deer

punt£1TR

Design: A red deer stag standing, facing left, on a ground line, head held high and antlers spread, based on a stag from Killarney National Park.
Legend: punt (pound), in Gaelic script, at the top right.
Denomination: The value £1 is inscribed at the bottom, the engraver's initials TR appear on the right below the ground line.

TREngraved by Thomas Ryan

Specifications

Denomination1 pound
Year1990
Mintage42,000
MintIrish Mint, Dublin
MaterialCopper-nickel
ShapeRound
Diameter31.1 mm
Thickness2 mm
Weight10.01 g
EdgeThe edge is reeded, with a smooth central band bearing alternating dots and vertical lines
ScriptsLatin