Ireland 5 pence 1971 - Bull

The coin's story

This 5 pence coin belongs to the first Irish decimal series. To prepare for decimalisation, Ireland put the 5 and 10 pence coins into circulation as early as 1969, they had the same value as the old shilling and florin and could circulate alongside them. The new coinage took up the animals of the “Barnyard series” designed by Percy Metcalfe in 1928: the bull, formerly on the shilling, moved to the 5 pence coin, which was worth exactly one shilling. The decimal system came into force on 15 February 1971, the year of this coin. Until 1975, Irish coins were struck in Great Britain, the Dublin Mint striking its own coins only from 1976. This large module was replaced in 1992 by a smaller coin and withdrawn from circulation in 1994.