Halfpenny (Irish decimal coin) particularly rare, and valuable to coin collectors - the vast majority of the 2.8 million were melted in 1987. The 1986 coin was only produced for the 1986 specimen sets and is also rare. Halfpenny (Irish decimal coin) The decimal halfpenny (p) () coin was the smallest denomination of the Irish pound. It was first issued when the Irish currency was decimalised on Decimal Day, 15 February 1971. It was one of three new designs introduced all in bronze and featuring ornamental birds on the reverse. The coin value was weakened by inflation and very few were produced beyond the
Penny (Irish pre-decimal coin) Penny (Irish pre-decimal coin) The penny (1d) () coin was the third smallest denomination of the pre-decimal Irish pound, worth of a pound or of a shilling. To express an amount, penny was abbreviated to "d", e.g. 1d, from the Roman "denarius". It was introduced in 1928 to replace its British counterpart, used when all of Ireland was a constituent country of the United Kingdom. The last year of minting was 1968 and it ceased to be legal tender on 31 December 1971. The coin measured in diameter and weighed 9.45 grams. The bronze coin was made up of 95.5%