Publications
The Numismatic Society of Ireland is very proud of its book publication venture which addresses a long overdue need to fill a gap in Irish numismatics publications. The Society works with authors to bring a continuing series of special edition books to members at pre-publication discounted prices.
In our Occasional Papers the Society publishes members’ research which includes many of our silver medal papers. Our Bulletins include topical articles together with our news and season schedule. Both of these are sent free to current members.
Occasional Papers
Occasional Papers 1 – 2 · 1965
- 1. Some remarks on countermarked Irish Coins
Emil Szauer - 2. Some Early references to the Hiberno-Norse Coinage
William Dick
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland
Copyright © 1965 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 3 – 5 · 1967
- 3. Bronze pennies: Principal Varieties 1860-1966
Read to NSI in April 1966, 4 in Oct 1966
W.Johnston - 4. The Paper Currency of Scotland
Read to NSI in Ocober 1966
Gordon Rowe
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland
Copyright © 1967 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 5 – 9 · 1969
- 5. Two Crannog Finds of Fire-damaged Coins of the Tudors (illustrated)
R. H. M. Dolley 1 - 6. Queen Annemthe last British Sovereign to “Touch for the Evil”
A. E. J. Went 4 - 7. Truck Tickets of Tokens of M. J. Blake (illustrated)
A. E. J. Went 9 - 8. Employers’ Truck Tickets and Food Vouchers issued in Ulster during the latter half of the Nineteenth and early part of the Twentieth Century (illustrated)
W. A. Seaby 11 - 9. Treatment of Coins and Tokens
S. G. Rowe 19.
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland
Copyright © 1969 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 10 – 14 · 1970
- 10. The Harp on Anglo Irish Coinage – A Preliminary Exposition
M. Dolley 1 - 11. A Parcel of Three–Crown Groats, probably from a find of 1838
Dolley & Lane 11 - 12. A Parcel of Irish ‘White Money’ from (?) County Tipperary
G. Ready & M. Dolle 15 - 13. Forgery of John Mascle farthing
W.A.Seaby 20 - 14. Some Coins from West Tyrone
W. A. Seaby & E. M. Torrens 24
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland
Copyright © 1970 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 15 – 16 · 1973
- 15. A Parcel of Countermarked early nineteenth Century Farthings – Irish
M. Dolley 1 - 16. Notes on Countermarking & Defacement of Official & Unofficial Coinageof Ireland
W. A. Seaby 5
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland
Copyright © 1973 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 17 – 18 · 1977
- 17. Isaac, John Craig and William Theodore Parkes – Irish Medallists (illustrated)
Hilda Parkes - 18. A Bracelet of Late-Roman Siliquae
J. C. Brindley
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland
Copyright © 1977 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 19 – 23 · 1978
- 19. The Medals of the Royal Agricultural Improvement and the Royal Agricultural Societies of Ireland (1843 – 1885)
Anne Lane, A. E. J. Went and D. Bateson (illustrated) - 20. Dean Swift and the Currency Problem
J. G. Simms (illustrated) - 21. The Rathmines Transport Token – 1849
E. K. Coleman (illustrated) - 22. The Medals of the National Institute for Higher Education (Limerick)
T. Ryan (illustrated) - 23. Miscellanae (illustrated)
A. Medal of the Church of Ireland Clergy Daughters School – A. E. J. Went
B. The Cusack Medal of Dr. Steeven’s Hospital, Dublin – F. E. Dixon
C. An Essay Prize Medal of the Royal Dublin Society – A. E. J. Went
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland
Copyright © 1978 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 24 – 28 · 1983
- 24. A Dating Analysis of some I.C. Parkes Token Dies
N. B. Todd - 25. A Hoard of Hiberno-Norse Coins from
- Clonmacnoise Co. Offaly
Michael Kenny, M.A., National Museum of Ireland - 26. The Irish Copper Coinage 1660 – 1701
Colm Gallagher - 27. Irish Farming Societies to 1900
F. E. Dixon
- 28. Miscellanae
A. The Browns, Dublin Medalists
B. William Woodhouse as button-maker
F. E. Dixon
C. Medals of the National Agricultural and Industrial Development Association
D. An unrecorded medal of the Royal Dublin Society and additional information on the 1892 medal
E. An commemorative medal of the Royal Agricultural Improvement Society of Ireland
F. Medallions from a disbanded West of Ireland Orange Lodge
G. The Tercentenary Medal of Trinity College Dublin
H. A medallion commemorating the opening of New Tipperary in 1890
I. One medal linking two Irish Sea Disasters
A. E. J. Went
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland
Copyright © 1983 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 29 – 38 · 1988
- 29. A Check list of varieties of the James I shilling Irish
Gerard Rice - 30. A mid-seventeenth Century Hoard from Co. Wexford
R.J. Heslip - 31. Inchiquin Money – A Cork Connection
C. Gallagher - 32. The Mint of Limerick under James II
M Dolley and G. Rice - 33. Plastics Tokens in Ulster
J.D.Bateson and J.F. Rainey - 34. A Nineteenth Century Numismatist, Aquilla Smith
Fred E. Dixon - 35. A Provisional Government Seal
Fred E. Dixon - 36. The Wellington Bridge Hoard
M. Kenny and C. Gallagher - 37. The medal Dies of Isaac and John Craig Parkes in the National Museum of Ireland
Michael Kenny - 38. Hoard Reports
Michael Kenny
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland | Edited by Colm Gallagher
Copyright © 1988 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 39 – 44 · 2008
- 39. The Coinage of the Crusaders
Gearóid Ó Broin - 40. Plated British Celtic Coins — A Reappraisal
Gearóid Ó Broin - 41. Description of Previously Unknown Irish Coins
Christopher Budesa - 42. Ernest Alton’s group of Trinity College Dublin gold medals
Ronan Fitzpatrick - 43. English Sheared Groats in Medieval Ireland: A Collector’s Tale
Alan Dunlop - 44. Medal Miscellany
Ronan Fitzpatrick - Occasional Supplement
The Battle of the Tokens, 1789-1799
John H. Morris
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland | Edited by Ronan Fitzpatrick | ISSN 0790-9748
Copyright © 2008 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 45 – 51 · 2011
- 45. Irish Banknote Connections
Louis O’Byrne - 46. Aiséirí na Cásca – The Easter Rising
Derek Kerins - 47. Irish Uniform Buttons
John O’Toole - 48. Centenarian Medal of Uachtarán Na hÉireann
Ronan Fitzpatrick - 49. Modern Irish Errors and Varieties
Christopher Budesa - 50. A Few Churchmen
Victor Hamilton - 51. Dublin Market Tokens
Martin Ruigrok
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland | Edited by Ronan Fitzpatrick | ISSN 0790-9748
Copyright © 2011 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 52 – 58 · 2014
- 52. The Discovery of the Carrick-on-Suir Gold Coin Hoard
Michael Kenny and Isabella Mulhall - 53. Ploughman Notes Revisited
Jonathan Callaway - 54. A Review oF Irish Bungal(l)s
Gearóid Ó Broin - 55. The Political Significance of the Coinage of the Irish Free State
Thomas Mohr - 56. Limerick Money
John Rainey - 57. The Birth of a Medal
John Rainey - 58. Dublin Market Tokens
Martin Ruigrok
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland | Edited by Ronan Fitzpatrick | ISSN 0790-9748
Copyright © 2014 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 59 – 66 · 2017
- 59. An Exciting Recent Discovery – Unique Bradbury Wilkinson Essays
Jonathan Callaway - 60. The First Irish (‘Henricus’) Coinage of Edward 1
Garry Byrne - 61. The Rev. John A. Malet Fellow T.C.D. (Money For J.a.m. Revisited)
Derek Kerins - 62. The Genesis of The Limerick Mint In 1689
Philip Timmins - 63. The Victoria Cross – An Irish Perspective
Murray Smith - 64. James Earle Fraser, Special Medal of Honor for Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Pan-American Exposition, New York
Henry J Duffy - 65. The Max Rainey Memorial Medal
John Rainey - 66. Banknotes on Jewellery in The Victorian Age
Mártan Mac Devitt
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland | Edited by Ronan Fitzpatrick | ISSN 0790-9748
Copyright © 2017 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 67 – 69 · 2020
- 67. The Portable Antiquities Scheme – Finds of Irish Coins Hiberno-Norse – Edward III
Garry Byrne - 68. Anglo Gallic Coins
Alan Dunlop - 69. The Emergency Coinage of Germany after The First World War
Alan Keogh
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland
Copyright © 2020 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 70 – 74 · 2021
- 70. The Portable Antiquities Scheme Finds of Irish Coins Edward IV – Henry VII
Garry Byrne and Oisín Mac Conamhna - 71. In Constantcy I Live And Die’: A 17th Century Hoard of Gold and Silver From Cherry Island, Lough Ennell
Michael Kenny (NMI) - 72. The Chemical Composition of Irish Gunmoney
Philip Timmins - 73. The Knockmahon Copper Mines, Co. Waterford
Gary Oddie - 74. Admiral William Brown, An Irish Hero in Argentinian Numismatics
Ricardo Méndez Barozzi
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland
Copyright © 2021 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Occasional Papers 75 – 83 · 2024
- 75. Hiberno-Norse Coin Hoard from Newtown, County Dublin
Michael Kenny (NMI) - 76. The Life and Works of Germyn Lynche, Goldsmith, Mintmaster and Mariner, Fl. 1441-1483
Oisín Macconamhna - 77. Tracing The Paddinstown Coin Hoard: An Essay for The Folklore Commission and A Westmeath History Prize
Michael Kenny (NMI) - 78. The Portable Antiquities Scheme, Finds of Gunmoney and Limerick Money in England and Wales
Garry Byrne - 79. The Bicentenary of Ireland’s Last Anglo-Irish Coinage George Iv 1822 – 1823
Dr. John F. Rainey MBE - 80. The Board of Intermediate Education for Ireland’s Academic Medals Revisited
Ronan Fitzpatrick - 81. Morbiducci and The Italian Connections
Garry Byrne - 82. Plaques of Publio Morbiducci’s Irish Coins 1927
Garry Byrne - 83. An Irish Presbyterian’s Life and Legacy in Communion Cards and Tokens
David S Dunlop
Published by Numismatic Society of Ireland
Copyright © 2024 The Numismatic Society of Ireland.
Bulletins
Books
Gunmoney
The emergency coinage of 1689-1691 for the Irish campaign of James II
Written by NSI member Philip Timmins this important book brings together the years of his study of this uniquely Irish coinage. Gunmoney is a scholarly publication written for collectors, dealers and students of Irish numismatics. Every denomination that was struck is listed as is every variety, and the book is extensively illustrated. Some varieties have never been published before.
The book is set out month by month, each of which begins with an account of the state of the warring kings’ campaigns. For each month this is followed by details of Gunmoney production matters at the striking mints and its acceptance and use throughout Ireland are clarified. The accounts of the state of the campaigns build to a general history of the Irish campaign of James II and at the same time they provide the numismatist with a context for striking Gunmoney. Coin sheets follow these war diary accounts and the coin sheets fully describe and illustrate all of the denominations struck in that month. A table of varieties sets out weight, edge type, orientation, reference number, diameter, denomination, month date, rarity and includes remarks about metal used, errors, and details of off-metal or restrike coins. Gunmoney was struck at mints in Dublin and Limerick and varieties struck at each mint are identified. There are sections on the white metal coinage and on the Hibernia coins of Limerick. This is an important book about Irish numismatics and it comprehensively addresses the Gunmoney series in a way never done before. For easy reference the book includes a comprehensive index.
Irish Tavern Tokens
John Sweeney Collection
Supplemented by other collections
The Numismatic Society of Ireland worked with Fr. Gerry Rice to publish a full colour and hardback edition of Irish Tavern Tokens. This publication is the result of many years research based on the John Sweeney Collection of Irish Tavern Tokens which has been supplemented by tokens from other collections. The result is the most comprehensive publication of Irish tavern tokens to date and it brings new dimensions to the study of this branch of numismatics. The 2017 hardback edition includes a First Supplement with text and illustrations by Garry Byrne. Following its softback publication in 2013 the book has become the definitive source for these tokens and is cited by leading auction houses and researchers. Irish Tavern Tokens


Irish Tavern Tokens is written for numismatists, be they collectors or students of the subject, and it illustrates 350 examples from a catalogue of over 400 Irish tavern tokens. Most were struck by the company controlled by John Craig Parkes at the Coombe in Dublin. Individual tokens are fully described and are cross-referenced to other popular tavern token catalogues. When known, the provenance of an individual token is listed. Each piece, including the issuing proprietor, has been carefully researched and recorded and where a ‘social context’ is understood, that too is included, making the finished volume a comprehensive commentary on the licensed trade as evidenced by the tavern tokens of post-famine Dublin. For easy reference the book includes an index of types, an index of places and an index of issuers.
A feature of the book publications of NSI is to be named as a subscriber in each book. Those who avail of this pre-publication feature can opt to be named in the List of Subscribers which will be printed in the book. This is an old tradition often used for specialist publications and since its introduction many collectors have enjoyed the provenance that such a listing gives to their copy.
Our Own Coinage
The Political and Legal Background to The Coinage of Ireland 1926 – 2002
Written by NSI member Edward Colgan this important book brings together many years of research and study which embrace the records of the Houses of the Oireachtas, holdings of the National Museum of Ireland, the Archives of the Central Bank of Ireland, holdings of the Royal Mint, and image libraries of leading auctioneers and other numismatists. Permissions have been granted by them to publish images some of which have never been published previously.
Our Own Coinage traces the story in fourteen chapters of how the coinage of Ireland evolved from the highly acclaimed and now fondly remembered 1928 set of silver, nickel and bronze coins of Saorstát Éireann through the coins of Éire and the Éire Decimal series to the Euro coins of 2002. The early chapters bring insights to the debates in the Houses of the Oireachtas, to the work of W B Yeats’ Committee and to the engagement of Percy Metcalfe when designing and modelling the first coins. The middle chapters explain the change to cupro-nickel and a new design. These chapters also explain the change to decimal. The final chapters are concerned with the introduction of the Euro series.
The fourteen chapters are fully illustrated with high quality images and explain the background to the coins that are in Irish collectors’ trays. They also tells the story of coins that were planned but never came to production. For some proposals they illustrate plaster models and other designs that were never used. The background to commemorative coins and principal varieties is also explained.
It is one hundred years since the Irish Government commenced the process in 1926 of having our own coinage and Edward Colgan’s work is the first time that the story of the coins of Ireland have been published as a comprehensive account in book form. Our Own Coinage is the third title in the Numismatic Society of Ireland book series and is a full companion to the first two – Irish Tavern Tokens and Gunmoney. It is an essential volume for the Irish numismatics library.
