Hobbies And Interests
Halfpenny
The halfpenny is minted in bronze. The design shows a variation of a bird found in an illuminated manuscript held in the Cathedral Library in Cologne. It has a diameter of 1.71 cm, weighs 1.78 grams and has a smooth edge.
Penny
The penny is also minted in bronze. The design shows a variation of another bird found in an illuminated manuscript held in Trinity College in Dublin. It has a diameter of 2.03 cm, weighs 3.56 grams and has a smooth edge.
Two New Pence
The two new pence was the third and largest bronze coin. The design shows a variation of another bird found in the Second Bible of Charles-the-Bald in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. It has a diameter of 2.59 cm, weighs 7.12 grams and has a smooth edge.
Five New Pence
The five new pence is minted in nickel. It shows a bull designed by the artist Percy Metcalfe in 1927. The bull was previously used on the shilling coin, no longer minted in 1971. It has a diameter of 2.36 cm, weighs 5.66 grams and has a milled edge.
10 New Pence
The 10 new pence is also minted in nickel. It shows a salmon designed by Metcalfe that had been used on the florin. It has a diameter of 2.85 cm, weighs 11.32 grams and has a milled edge.
50 New Pence
The 50 new pence is the largest of the Irish coins of the 1970s. It is minted in nickel and has seven equal sides connected at equal angles. It shows a woodcock (a large bird), another Metcalfe design that was previously used on the farthing. It has a constant breadth of 3 cm, weighs 13.5 grams and has a smooth edge.