THIS year's Irish International Coin Fair takes place next weekend, Saturday February 22nd and Sunday February 23rd, at the Gresham Hotel in Dublin. Members of the Numismatic Society of Ireland will be exhibiting coins from Ireland, Britain, China and Canada.

According to the event's organisers, the rarest exhibit is a set of the first banknotes of the Irish Free State, from £1 to £100, with a total value today of £10,000. These notes depict a ploughman and were replaced by the well-known Lady Lavery designs in the 1930s.

Spink of London will be represented at the fair, along with a number of dealers such as Patrick Finn, specialist in early Irish, English and Scottish coins; Pam West and Michael O'Grady, specialists in banknotes and scripophily; and William Seese, dealer in world coins. All the leading Irish dealers will also be present and free valuations are offered to visitors to the show.