Exhibitions

Collins Barracks

Airgead – A thousand years of Irish Coins & Currency

This permanent exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, tells the story of Ireland’s numismatic history from the 10th century to the present euro coins and banknotes.

There is also a section on credit cards and internet banking. The exhibition uses superb illustrations to relate Ireland’s heritage of medieval coins, tokens, coin-hoards and related materials and has many unique specimens. Some medal specimens from the Arthur Went bequest of Irish medals are also included.

Ulster Museum

The Numismatics section of the Ulster Museum contains 50,000 objects, ranging in date from the invention of western coinage in the 6th century BC to the present day.

The Ulster Museum has the best holdings of Irish banknotes in the world. In addition to coins and notes, the collections include financial instruments, passes, admission tickets, trade tokens and a substantial number of Presbyterian communion tokens.

The important Medals Collection includes the Mairead Corrigan 1976 Nobel Peace Prize. This section contains spectacular items associated with the Order of St Patrick. The most recent accession has been an important donation by the Central Bank of Ireland of its new issue of Euro currency banknotes.