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1 Pre-decimal system

The Irish pound, originally called the Saorstát pound ('Free State pound'), was introduced in 1928 by the Currency Commission, which was later transferred to the Central Bank of Ireland. The complete list of pre-1971 Irish coins were

• farthing - a quarter of a penny (Feorling)
• half-penny (leath phingin)
• penny (pingin)
• threepenny bit (leath réal)
• sixpenny bit (réal)
• shilling (scilling)
• florin (flóirín)
• half-crown (leath choróin)
• a ten shilling coin (deich scilling) was issued in 1966 to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising but wasn't used in general circulation, being mainly snapped up by collectors.

2 Decimal system

On Decimal DayOn February 15, 1971, variously known as Decimal Day Decimalisation Day and D-Day the United Kingdom and Ireland decimalised their historical currencies. Although both currencies were separate — Irish Pounds and British Pounds — they were at the time tied, 15 February, 19711971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). Events January January 1 British divorce Reform Act comes into force January 2 66 die in stairway crush at Rangers v Celtic football match, Glasgow, Scotland. See Ibrox disaster. Janua, the Irish pound and the British Pound Sterling were decimalisedDecimalization refers to any process of converting from traditional units, usually of money, to a decimal system. This process has been undergone by all countries except Mauritania and Saudi Arabia, but the former has in practice dropped their smaller uni. Ireland and the United Kingdom then introduced the same denominations of coins, of the same size and weight, (½, 1, 2, 5, 10, and 50 pence) albeit with different designs. In 1979, with its participation in the European Exchange Rate MechanismThe European exchange rate mechanism (or ERM was a system introduced by the European Community in March 1979, as part of the European Monetary System (EMS), to reduce exchange-rate variability and achieve monetary stability in Europe, in preparation for E the Irish pound ended parity with the pound Sterling, becoming known as the Irish Punt.

Irish coins introduced after 1979 (20p and £1) were of a completely different size and weight from the equivalent British coins, as were the 5p and 10p coins after both countries reduced the coins in size in the early 1990s.

Two commemerative coins were issued into general circulation during this period, the 19881988 is a leap year starting on Friday (click on link for calendar). Events January January 2 Georgia celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 9 Connecticut celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 26 Australia celebrates its bicentennial day. Dublin Millennium 50p and the 2000 Millennium £1.