Irish Pound
The Irish pound stands as a currency of quiet defiance—where independence, intellect and artistry converge into a refined numismatic tradition.
Quick Facts
Country: Republic of Ireland
Code: IEP
Symbol: £
System: Decimal (1 Pound = 100 Pence)
Status: Withdrawn
Issuer: Central Bank of Ireland
The Story of the Irish Pound
Introduced in 1928 as the Saorstát Pound, the Irish currency marked a decisive step away from British monetary control. For decades it remained linked 1:1 with sterling, but in 1979 Ireland broke this parity by joining the European Monetary System. Its evolution is read through three eras: the iconic Series A (Lady Lavery), the intellectual Series B, and the technically refined Series C—the final issue before euro adoption in 2002.
Design & Symbolism
Earliest Series A banknotes (1928–1977) feature Lady Lavery, the allegorical embodiment of Ireland, and are among the most prestigious in European numismatics. Series B transformed the currency into a gallery of “numismatic literati,” featuring Yeats and Swift, paired with visual references to the Book of Kells. The designs reflect a fusion of medieval Celtic knotwork and modern intaglio engineering, creating a tactile surface rooted in scholarship.
For collectors
For collectors, the Irish Pound represents one of the most intellectually distinctive systems in Europe. The prestige of Lady Lavery notes and the cultural depth of Series B literary issues create a competitive landscape. Scarcity of high-grade Series C banknotes—many of which were destroyed after 2002—adds further value. Irish banknotes are not merely monetary artifacts; they are expressions of Insular manuscript aesthetics translated into currency.
The Irish pound reached its final chapter in 2002, closing a monetary era defined by independence and artistic discipline.