1690 Ireland James II AE Gunmoney Halfcrown. Dublin mint.
IACOBVS II DEI GRATIA, laureate bust of James II left || 1690 MAG BR FRA ET HIB REX, crown with crossed sceptres behind, MAY below.
28mm, 9.05g. S-6580B.
Good fine, slight porosity.
The Irish “Gunmoney” coinage was a series of emergency coins struck during the First Jacobite War. During this conflict, the recently deposed Catholic king James II attempted to regain the throne with the support of the largely Catholic Irish. Owing to a dearth of precious metal, coins were struck in base metal with the promise of future redemption. Cannons, church bells and other objects were melted down to strike the coins, giving them the name “gunmoney”. A notable feature of these series is the inclusion of the month of strike, included so soldiers could redeem interest on their payments. These coins were largely devalued following the Jacobite defeat, resulting in their withdrawal from circulation by the 18th century.
