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12 Pence - James II Gun Money Coinage, Silver Proof Issue
| Issuer | Jacobite Government of Ireland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1690 |
| Type | Coin pattern |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The central field displays the royal cipher 'IR' (Iacobus Rex) in interlaced script, surmounted by a large imperial crown with arched bands and orb finial, with the denomination numeral XII positioned above the crown. Two crossed sceptres flank the crowned cipher. The circumferential legend reads 1690·MAG·BR·FRA·ET·HIB·REX·XII in raised Roman capitals with pellet stops, distributed around the periphery. The design is enclosed within a milled bead border consistent with the proof quality of the strike. |
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| Additional information |
Gun Money takes its name from the bronze cannon, church bells, and scrap metal James II ordered melted down to produce emergency coinage after William III's forces cut off his supply lines in Ireland. The silver proof strikes of 1690 were never intended for circulation — they were presentation pieces, almost certainly produced for sympathizers and potential foreign backers at a moment when James was actively seeking support from Louis XIV and other Catholic powers.
The underlying bronze coinage was officially declared valueless after the Jacobite defeat at the Boyne in July 1690, rendering the circulating issues worthless within months of striking.