Good prices for old money

AS IF 800 years did not offer enough misery, Whyte’s is promising “2,000 years of Irish History” at its sale next Saturday, which is titled “History, Literature Collectibles”. The sale starts with Celtic gold ring money from around 1,200BC and ends with lots relating to the recent Troubles in Northern Ireland.

A 1938 £10 note issued by the Munster and Leinster Bank (now part of AIB) is expected to fetch €2,000 to €3,000.

A 1943 silver florin (two shilling piece), the equivalent of about 13 cent, is valued at €8,000 to €10,000. Mr Whyte said: “The Central Bank decided to stop using silver in the coinage that year due to the war and ordered all silver coins to be withdrawn. It is believed that a few hundred escaped, of which this is one, making it the scarcest modern Irish coin.”

Two “very scarce” editions of The Irish Times published, uniquely, on the same day, Tuesday April 25th, 1916, graphically illustrate attempts by the British authorities to suppress news of the Easter Rising.

The first edition, containing eight pages, which includes reports about the Easter Rising, was “withdrawn” – apparently as a result of censorship – at 8am.

The second edition, containing six pages, was published later that morning and excludes all the reports but contains a brief notice from the government about the Rising and the firm measures being taken to “deal with the situation”.

The two newspapers are being sold as one lot with an estimated tag of €1,500-€2,000.

One item in the sale is an advertising sign for Gold Flake cigarettes in Irish – “Sásuíonn Siad!” (they satisfy), which has an estimate of €200-€400.