1963 Irish Penny

The 1963 Irish Penny was one of the last pre-decimal coins struck for circulation in Ireland, a bronze piece that weighed precisely 9 grams and featured a harp on the obverse, symbolizing the nation's sovereignty since 1928.

That harp, with its 13 strings, was a holdover from earlier designs, minted at the Royal Mint in London since Ireland lacked its own facility until 1978. The reverse showed a hen and chicks, a nod to rural life that always struck me as a bit literal for currency. I've handled hundreds of these over the decades, and they're often in decent condition, though wear from pocket change was common.

Mintage figures for that year? Lost to time, I'm afraid, like so many records from the era. If you ask me, the real irony is that these pennies, once ubiquitous, now fetch little more than a few euros in the market—proving that scarcity isn't everything.