The Book of Kells has never left Irish ownership since Trinity College Dublin acquired it in the 17th century, and the 2012 gold issue was part of a broader Irish cultural coinage program that leaned heavily on the manuscript during a period when Ireland was still deep in IMF-EU bailout conditions — an awkward moment to be minting prestige gold. The coin was produced by the Czech firm Česká mincovna under contract, not by an Irish facility.
The Book of Kells has never left Irish ownership since Trinity College Dublin acquired it in the 17th century, and the 2012 gold issue was part of a broader Irish cultural coinage program that leaned heavily on the manuscript during a period when Ireland was still deep in IMF-EU bailout conditions — an awkward moment to be minting prestige gold. The coin was produced by the Czech firm Česká mincovna under contract, not by an Irish facility.