Quick Coinage Facts
Years Minted: 1969-2000
Number of Types: 2
Composition: Copper-Nickel
Type 1 Diameter: 28.5 mm
Type 2 Diameter: 22 mm
Type 1 Weight: 11.32 grams
Type 1 Weight: 5.45 grams
Type 1 Total Mintage: 152,421,249
Type 2 Total Mintage: 262,966,000
Obverse Design: Harp
Reverse Design: Fish
Design
The obverse design features the Irish Harp separating the date and legend “EIRE” or Ireland.
The reverse design was based on Percy Metcalfe’s original design used on the florin coin and features a salmon facing right from 1969 to 1986 and a salmon facing left from 1993 to 2000. Below the design is the denomination “10 P”.
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Types
In 1993, the size of 10 pence coinage was reduced from 11.32 grams to 5.45 grams which also required a reduction in overall size as the diameter shrunk to 22 mm. An additional feature to mark the change in coinage was the reversing of the original salmon design from facing right to facing left.
Type 1 - Salmon facing right 1971 to 1986
Type 2 - Salmon facing left 1993 to 2000
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General Market Notes
There are no rarities to the series and the closest to a key for the series is the 1986 issue. Most coins are affordable and readily available.