Irish 20p coin value - authoritative message
Could You Be Sitting On A Fortune?
Danielle Fitzsimons | 20 Feb 2017
If you are Irish and over the age of 16 then you will remember the old 20p coin. The memory of that pretty gold coin with the little horsie may even trigger a little nostalgia.
That's if you remember what you used to be able to buy with it in the 80's when it was first circulated!
In 1984, the Irish Government announced that they would be releasing a new gold coloured twenty pence coin, with an image of a horse (an Irish Hunter), which was recommended by the Arts Council of Ireland.
Vending machines across Ireland had to be recalibrated to accept the new denomination.
Apparently, the Irish Central Bank produced 500 test coins dated 1985, so that businesses; mainly Telecom Éireann engineers, could test them.
It is said that 50 of those 1985 test coins were never returned to the bank. Today the whereabouts of less than 10 are known.
According to Ian Whyte, of Whyte’s Auctioneers & Valuers in Dublin,
“The coins were supposed to be returned to the Central Bank to be melted down but about 50 never made it and, to date, about 10 have been recorded in private ownership.”
Coin experts have offered varying valuations, which of course, are also contingent on the coin’s condition.
Depending on who you believe, you could be looking at upwards of €500 for ‘good' condition to a potential €12,000 if in ‘uncirculated’ condition!
The first officially circulated 20p coin was dated 1986. To add some perspective, 50.4 million of these were minted and one of these (uncirculated) is worth approximately €4.00 today.
So, even if the real value is closer to the lower estimates, it’s probably still worth having a look down the back of your sofa.
Let the search begin...
Data & Image Sources: irishcentral.com | oldcurrencyexchange.com | irishcoinage.com
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