IRISH GUN-MONEY

During the 700 years or so of English rule, Irish bitterness continued to simmer and boil over at the slightest occasion. Consequently when the English expelled the tyrannical James 11 in 1688, he fled the country to France and later went to Ireland to rally Catholic support. His attempts to regain the throne petered out speedily enough, produced one of the most interest oddities of coinage, the famous Irish gun-money. James promised to redeem the Irish gun money in due time for silver coins of the realm but did not in fact do so. Arriving in Ireland in June, 1689, James immediately set about raising an army. In need of coinage to pay his troops, he issued emergency money by melting cannon, church bells, and scrap. Remarkably well executed considering the circumstances, these curious coins were struck in denominations of a crown, half crown, shilling and sixpence. Besides the crown they show not only the year, but the month of issue as well. In those days the year did not begin on January 1 but on March 25; consequently the coins dated March, 1690 were issued only a few days after the coins dated March, 1689!  The calendar we use now came into existence in the eighteen century. Dates of Irish gun-money: July, 1689 – March 1689 and March 1690 – August 1690.