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THE CENTRAL BANK of Ireland today launched two new collector coins to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the death of Michael Collins at Béal na mBlath in Cork in 1922.
A €20 gold proof coin and a €10 silver proof coin have both been issued and are available individually or as a set.
The coins were designed by artist Thomas Ryan, who designed the red deer £1 coin, and feature a portrait of a young Michael Collins on one side with the harp on the other.
Speaking at the launch of the coins today, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said the commemorations “offer and opportunity for us to recognise the great sacrifices that so many people made in the creation of this state”.
“Those of us today who sometimes feel that the task facing us may be insurmountable should remember the challenges faced by those who founded the institutions of this state,” he added.
Gerry Quinn, Chief Operations Officer at the Central Bank said its collector coins continue to be very popular with the public and interest in this particular coin has been “overwhelming”.
The coins have an issue limit of 12,000 units for the €20 coin and 8,000 units for the €10 coin. In addition, 6,000 sets featuring both coins are available from today.
Coins can be purchased by downloading an order form on the Central Bank website, by calling 1890 307 607 or directly from the Central Bank of Ireland on Dame Street at a cost of €50 for the gold proof, €48 for the silver proof and €95 for sets featuring both.
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The coins feature a “portrait of a young Michael Collins”. And their-in lies the tragedy. There are no portraits of a older Michael Collins. God Bless you Michael.
Good point.
Reada…when words such as Comrades Patriots Sovereignty etc come fast and furious in a short contribution I suspect we have a throw back in our midst and your place in a modern world probably could be found in few locations but one does come to mind…North Korea!. Do you ever feel like travelling?
Wrong link Mike but No, I don’t feel like traveling anymore. I have travelled but my heart is here in Ireland. And I’m not impressed with this notion of globalization we are being fed. If you tried traveling you’d see that this airy fairy idea of us all being part of a global village is not leading to equity among the citizens of the world.
Even though some republicans in America are sullying the word I’m proud to call myself an Irish republican. Not as keen on the word nationalist as some types of nationalism has definitely sullied that word. Irish republicanism on the other hand was born from an aspirational idea of the defeat imperialism and the creation of a state of equals. It might always only be an aspiration in a world where money is god but it’s an aspiration worth having. This move towards globalization is only going to lead to economic slavery. Not buying. No thanks Mick.
Réada, I hear where you’re coming from, but Fianna Fail under De Valera tried the the self sufficient model, and failed. I really don’t know that any so-called republican party are really worth the effort these days. Between them, both Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein have given the republican ideal a bad name.
Adrian, I don’t mean a return to an attempt of self sufficiency – I’m no fan of DeV. I’d be all for cooperation between countries and did welcome the idea of the EEC back in the day as it lessened our dependency on Britain as a trader and opened up new markets to us.
That’s why I prefer the word republican to nationalist. I love diversity and although I’m a socialist republican I wouldn’t fall into a communist ethos of a one party government.
In relation to Sinn Féin I see them as the only party courageous enough to step up to the plate. They were the only party on this island ready to take on the might of one the biggest empires the world has ever seen after Michael Collins assassination. And they are the biggest party that is willing to say Anglo debt is NotOurDebt.
Sinn Féin are also against the selling of our state assets and natural resources while FLab Gael are willing to sell them off and have the cheek to pretend they’re grateful when the Troika give us permission to keep some for job investment. There’s only one job FLab Gael are interested in – their own.
There you go Adrian. I don’t expect you to agree with this Shinner but as I said I love diversity.
You may be a fan of diversity yourself, Réada, but your party is not. Diverse opinions have never been welcome in SF. Any diversity within the party is just leadership-approved window dressing, extolled by the PR machine. Just ask any of those who have left the party in the past ten years.
Sinn Féin are not the great hope you wish for, but are yet another political dead-end for Irish republicanism (just like FF). They have no regard for the Republic, and have no loyalty towards it. Any party that refers to our country as the 26 counties, the south, “down there”, or even the Free State, anything but its actual name – the Republic of Ireland – is broadcasting its contempt of it.
Fair play to you for seeing all the faults in the government parties. Now, ignore your party’s PR machine, and take a good look. If you really value republicanism, and the Republic, you’ll think long and hard before voting SF again. Because broadcasting “diverse” opinions within the party will lose you friends real quick.
Collins would spin in his grave if he saw what we have done with his vision of a Free Independent Ireland
And yet Dev tried the self sufficient, isolationist model and that didn’t work either. And membership of the EU has done lots of good as well as bad. The example I used previously was the fact that women who got married had to leave work pre EU membership. And that’s just one example of the social progress made. On another note look at the infrastructure we got. Would a completely independent government have managed to build all that?
Too often individuals, shaped by politicians and the media, blame Europe for a lot of problems but the reality is far more complicated than that.
Ryan, why are you equating “Free Independent Ireland” with “self sufficient, isolationist model” ?
“Speaking at the launch of the coins today, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said the commemorations “offer and opportunity for us to recognise the great sacrifices that so many people made in the creation of this state”
a man who shouldnt be allowed so much as utter collins’ name is capitalising on his death
he might even wear an expensive frock while he’s eating it
Oh the irony…..Collins would be turning in his grave at the thought of Ireland losing it’s sovereignty, borders, culture and previous currency after all the blood spilt to get us our Independence….!!!
And then to put him on a “Euro” coin, while giving up our Independence once more, this time to EU Techno/Bureaucrats…!!!
The Blueshirts are defiling the memory of 1916 & 1922 with their grovelling to the EU…!!!
losing it’s borders and previous currency etc which were “lost” after the people of Ireland passed referenda to enable the country’s entry into thes institutions, I can’t imagine a democrat like Collins would be turning in his grave once the wishes of the people are being maintained!
The only thing Noonan as Min for Finance is good for is illustrating just how far we have deviated from Collin’s vision. They should have the manners to keep away from Beal na Blath next week.
They have no manners Rommel. Let’s face it, Noonan has a hard neck. You should volunteer to do security and escort the lip service Republicans away. ;)
Collins would indeed be proud to have his face on a crumbling, foreign currency
I like the way a lot of people feel they can tell what michael collins is thinking from the other side of the grave
Admittedly It’s speculative, but I think it’s fair to assume that those in Government today wouldn’t take a decent pay cut for their country let alone put their life on the line.
So when they try to tell us they are carrying on his vision they cannot be taken seriously.
Meh, I’ll wait for the de Valera commemorative coins to be honest.
You’ll be waiting a while
I heard Bertie’s doing a roaring trade in them already. You can pay in Euro, sterling or dollars. Cash only though!
I wouldn’t hold your breath.
The central Bank are living in the past ! You can’t buy these online. No wonder the finances of the country are in crises. This organization can’t use the Internet.
I wonder,had Michael Collins lived, would he be as adept as Michael Noonan and his collegues at feathering his own nest at the expense of the citizens. Dev and his crowd didn’t see anything wrong with it either. mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Not on your nelly would he.
@david Shelton
Where’s your evidence that Michael Noonan is feathering his own nest??
Dead on , Reada! The lowest form of political opportunism from a very selfserving politician jumping on the back of a respected figure. Mixed feelings about Collins , however it is proper that his death should be so marked!
Come and hear what Tim Pat Coogan has to say about Michael Collins and the bankers – at Glasnevin Museum this Sunday at 2.30pm. Apt to post on this thread. http://www.hlasnevinmuseum.ie for details
Is there a coin commemorating Ian Brady?
Didn’t think it possible but a new low even for you.
No and there won’t be any for the butcher Billy Wright either…!!!
A coin for a killer, any killer is wrong.
Do you mean Ian Brady the Moor’s Murderer?
Patrick, it’s clearly your intention to stir up trouble. Every time I see your icon I shudder in disbelief.
Patrick. I suppose you’d be looking for a pound coin for Maggie
Suspect Collins had a trick or two up his sleeve regarding the North , was always one step ahead . A victim of circumstance as we all are , his death left many unanswered questions. Supplying the Northern RA while fighting against them in the South, who was he playing?Too many good men suffered ,too many died;our country was divided & our fellow countrymen were abandon to bondage in there own country.I have very mixed feelings on Collins & who could blame any who would!
Collins saw feigned offence and had no time for it. He raised huge money for the state, knowing the importance of govt bonds long before the crisis hit. Nor did he believe in “giveaways” just to keep people happy. The differences between Collins & Dev are mirrored to this day in the differences between Enda & Bertie.
Bet he would have paid his household charge Reada!
Bet it wouldn’t have been an issue in the first place. He was known to be prudent and hated waste by all accounts. ;)
MaCrab, I think Collins would be more in tune with the romantic notion Irish people have to owning their own piece of land. I think Collins would tell Enda Kenny and Phil Hogan to cop themselves on before he’d have us paying a rent to financial overlords. He might even take a few bankers out and shoot them before he’d ask the citizens of Ireland to cough up for banksters’ mistakes. Just a wild guess… ;)
Tried to buy a set online and have them sent here to the states. No way. You can only print the form, send it snail mail to Eire, and hope they have some left, and nobody takes your credit card information. Any bank, much less the Central Bank of Ireland, should have a secure, online order and confirmation web page. They will probably be on EBay soon.
Hi John (Murphy), If you miss out on the Michael Collins Commemorative Coins there are some absolutely stunning 1916 Easter Rising Centenary Proof Commemorative Coins available from http://www.1916uprising.ie that can be purchased online. In 24 carat gold plate, fine silver plate and bronze finishes these unique Irish designed coins are something to treasure and pass on from generation to generation.
They also have limited edition pure silver ones (only 1000 being minted) and I believe a very limited edition run of 24 carat pure solid gold ones (only ten being minted) but these are expensive. The plated versions are €35, €25 and €18 respectively plus shipping of €10 worldwide.
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