Coin and Paper Money Collecting/michael collins coin

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Expert: - 11/23/2009


Question
In the 70's my dad was given a coin by a policeman called John Collins. The coin was a michael collins coin, he was told not alot were made.In the 90's my dad passed this coin to my husband whose name is Martin Collins.
Here is a description.
Front of coin - Picture of Micheal Collins, writing on it eire    1966.
Back of coin - Man who looks as if they are wearing some kind of military outfit? The man has a bird on his right shoulder. Writing on back - oeic scilling
Round the edge of the coin - eiri omac na casca 1916.

I would be very grateful if you could give me some info on the coin and how valuable it may be. My husband thinks he might have ties with Michael Collins.

Yours Sincerely

Sharon Collins.  

Answer

Ireland 10 shillings
Hi Sharon,
This is an official Irish coin, 10 shillings to commemorate the Easter Uprising. The man on the coin is actually Patrick Pearce, an important figure in the event. The coin is just over 18 grams of .833 purity silver.
These coins are quite popular, but are readily available on the market. If you look on eBay, for example, there are many of them starting at $25 for a mint condition coin. On the UK market they often sell in the £20-£25.
Please don't forget to rate this answer.
Thanks for the question! =)

Dmitry Livshits

Expertise

My specialty is world coins from the 18th to 20th centuries, primarily non-US foreign coins and related areas such as errors and exonumia (tokens, medals, etc.). I can answer questions relating to identification, grading, selling, preservation and evaluation of such items. In addition to catalog value, I can give you the practical market value and trends for specific types of coins. I will also take questions regarding counterfeits (both modern and antique) and on how to identify them. I am NOT knowledgeable in paper money/banknotes, ancient or "shipwreck" coins. Thank you.

Experience

Collector of world coins since early childhood. Access to a variety of auction records and reference material. You can also find me on Facebook.

Education/Credentials
A.S. in Psychology (2006), B.A. in Forensic Psychology (2008), M.A. in Forensic Psychology (2011).

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