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Irish five pence (decimal coin) || Coin

Published March 27th, 2007 in Uncategorized

The five pence coin was introduced on Decimal Day, February 15, 1971 and reused the design on the shilling coin produced for the Irish Free State in 1928. Some shilling coins remained in circulation until the early 1990s, with the same nominal value as the five pence coin.

The five pence, introduced in 1971, was 5.65518 grams in weight with a diameter of 2.3595 centimetres. This matched the British five pence coin. As a modern coin it became apparent in the late 1980s that the coin’s physical dimensions were large relative to its value. The coin was also accepted by German vending machines and payphones as 1 Deutsche Mark (DEM, DM), because the dimensions and weights were extremely similar. As there was a considerable discrepancy in value between the two coins, (the 5p piece being equivalent to only DEM 0.12), it was widely suspected that the shrinking in size of the Irish coin was due as much to pressure from the German government as for economic reasons.

Thus the original five pence was last minted in 1990 and in 1992 a replacement was struck at 1.85 centimeters diameter (differing from the corresponding new British five pence coin). This new coin kept the old design but incorporated some changes, notably the location of the figure and reversing the main design of the bull. The composition of the five pence was 75% copper and 25% nickel.

The coin was 1/20 of an Irish Pound and was finally withdrawn on the advent of the euro.


See also

  • Shilling


External links

  • Irish coinage website - catalogue - decimal five pence.

  • Coinage (Weight and Remedy Allowance of Five Pence Coin) Order, 1992
  • Coinage (Dimension of Five Pence Coin) Regulations, 1992