George V Irish Sixpence

The George V Irish sixpence, minted from 1928 to 1937, was the first coin issued by the Irish Free State under British sovereignty, featuring a harp on the reverse that echoed Ireland's ancient symbols of independence.

This design, with George V's portrait on the obverse and the harp encircled by the legend "Saorstát Eireann," signaled a tentative move towards Irish autonomy. The coins were struck in 0.500 silver at the Royal Mint in London, though exact mintage figures for some years remain unclear due to incomplete records from that era.

They circulated alongside British currency until the shift to full Irish coinage in 1938. Some variants show die variations, like subtle differences in the harp strings, which can intrigue the detail-oriented collector.

Plenty of myths swirl around these as "curses of the Crown," but that's just nonsense we've all heard too many times.