IRELAND. Gun Money 1/2 Crown, 1690 (May). Dublin Mint. NGC MS-62.

S-6580B; KM-95. A lovely medium chocolate brown, this popular type has mostly legible legends and good amount of detail in the bust. An excellent chance to own a piece of numismatic history from a time of many changes to coinage of the area. According to the Spink book on Coins of Scotland, Ireland and The Islands, "These types of coins were made of brass or latten from old cannon, bells and other scrap metal and were called 'Brass Money'. The common term for them now is "Gun Money". The sizes of these issues varied depending on the year and supply of such scrap metal. Struck originally at the Dublin Mint, striking began at the Limerick Mint sometime around 1689/90. According Fr Gerard Rice (SNC Sept 1989), "Two coining presses in use in Dublin, named the 'James' and the 'Duchess', the 'Duchess' press was sent to Limerick in March of 1689/90.