1961 Irish Halfpenny

The 1961 Irish Halfpenny marked the end of an era as the last of its kind to circulate in Ireland.

This bronze coin, weighing about 5.6 grams and measuring 25 millimeters across, featured a harp on the obverse and a sow with piglets on the reverse—designs that echoed Ireland's agricultural roots. It was struck at the Royal Mint in London, as Ireland lacked its own facility at the time. Mintage figures for that year aren't precisely recorded, though estimates suggest it was modest.

I've turned over plenty of these in my time, and they're often overlooked amid the fuss over shinier pieces. While some claim they bring luck, that's just folklore—most ended up in pockets or jars, forgotten.

One oddity: the edge is plain, which made them easy to stack but also easy to lose in a drawer.