Charles II Irish Sixpence

The Charles II Irish sixpence was often struck on planchets recycled from melted Spanish reales, a pragmatic reuse of silver amid the economic scramble of the Restoration.

That made for coins that were sometimes irregular in weight and fineness, reflecting Ireland's hasty return to monarchy after Cromwell's rule. The obverse bore the king's bust, draped and laureate, while the reverse featured the Irish harp, a symbol as old as the hills but newly prominent. Mintage figures? They're murky; records from that era are scarce, likely lost to time or neglect.

Variations exist, like those with a date or without, but don't ask me to pinpoint rarities without evidence. As for myths, I've heard tales of these turning up in potato fields, but that's just collectors' fancy.