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1/2 Penny - James II Limerick Siege Coinage
| Issuer | Jacobite Forces (Limerick) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1691 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 6.3 g |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The seated figure of Hibernia is depicted facing right at centre, robed and crowned, holding a harp at her left side — the traditional emblem of Ireland — while her right hand rests upon a sceptre or staff. A cross patée appears in the left field. The circumscribed legend HIBERNIA flanks the left and the date 1691 appears to the right, both in raised Latin characters separated by pellets. The overall design and execution are rudimentary, reflecting the improvised nature of the siege coinage struck by Jacobite forces at Limerick during the final stages of the Williamite War. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Limerick siege pieces were struck by Jacobite forces during the final months of Irish resistance following the Battle of the Boyne, using whatever base metal could be sourced as William III's army tightened its grip on the city. Limerick held through two sieges; this issue belongs to the second, in 1691, which ended with the Treaty of Limerick in October of that year.
The brass used was almost certainly recycled — cannon fittings, domestic objects, and confiscated goods all fed the makeshift mint. Weights vary considerably across survivors, reflecting emergency production rather than any consistent minting standard.