Ireland, Eire, 20 Pence, 1985, security edge, 8.62g/12h (S 6703A; KM. Pn3). Extremely fine and extremely rare; less than 10 specimens believed extant £7,000-8,000

Provenance: Given to a retired manager from Telecom Éireann, 1985; Whyte’s Auction (Dublin), 14 May 2016, lot 197, and sold with a certificate of authenticity from Whyte’s dated 30 August 2016.

The Irish 20 pence coins of 1985, sometimes referred to as trials, with a then-experimental metallic content of 79% copper, 20% zinc and 1% copper (chosen because it was estimated that the composition would reduce production costs by 25% in comparison to a true cupro-nickel coin), share the same background as the English Edward VIII brass threepences, in that they were made in small numbers to enable vending machine manufacturers and others throughout the 26 counties have their engineers calibrate equipment prior to the introduction of the new denomination. Like the Edward VIII threepences, those people and companies that were given the new 20p pieces, principally Telecom Éireann, were expected to return the coins to the authorities, but inevitably some were retained. At least five specimens, including this one, have appeared at auction in the last two decades. The first Irish 20p coins to be released into general circulation, dated 1986, entered the monetary system on 30 October that year