KM-95 variety.

An historic coin with an interesting story behind it.

Which began when King James II of England  (whose portrait is seen on the obverse of this piece) was deposed and fled to France in 1688. In 1689 he surfaced in Ireland in an attempt to reacquire his throne. Short of money, he issued a series of coins struck in base metal to pay for the supplies he needed. These coins are known as ‘gun money’ because legend has it that they were struck on planchet stock produced from melted down cannons.

The coins are dated by year and month (as seen on this piece with 1689 at the upper reverse and ‘Sep’ for September below the crown) based on James’ commitment to redeem them (one month’s allotment at a time) for proper precious metal coins after he was back in power.

Alas, with his defeat at the Battle of Boyne in 1690, James II lost his bid to re-ascend to the throne and the coinage issue became worthless (except to collectors, a few hundred years later).

And this is quite a nice example of this type, well and evenly struck and (unlike a lot of the ones we have seen) largely unflawed, with rich brown color, golden brown highlights and excellent eye appeal.

HOLD

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