REUL: COIN OF IRELAND
1/2 reul (3 pingin), 1967: Republic of Ireland
The legend on the coin is made in Gaelic type.
LEAṪ REUL (inscription in Gaelic type): Half Reul (Irish "Leath Reul").
Prior the mid-20th century Gaelic type was the main typeface used to write Irish, now it is usually replaced by Roman type. The dot above a letter in Gaelic type is usually replaced by a following ⟨h⟩ in Roman type (e.g.: ċ → ch, ṫ → th).
3d: 3 pingin (3 pence). — The denomination on the coin is indicated both in Irish reul and in smaller units (pingin — Irish pence).
PM: under the hare by the micro font are indicated the initials of the author of the coin design (engraver) — Percy Metcalfe (English artist, sculptor and designer).
The Irish mountain hare (Latin "Lepus timidus hibernicus").
ÉIRE: Ireland.
Celtic harp also known as Trinity College harp / "Brian Boru's harp" (late-medieval Gaelic harp — "cláirseach") as coat of arms of Ireland.
Royal Mint (London, United Kingdom).
Mintage: 2.400.000.
- Copper-nickel: 18 mm - 3.25 g
- Reference price: 0.9$
COIN REUL — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- IRELAND (1928-1969) — Irish Free State + Republic of Ireland: reul = 6 pingin (pence)
REUL as coin name.
In modern world numismatics, the standard situation is when the denomination is clearly written on the coins — in full or abbreviated.
In ancient times and in the Middle Ages, the denomination was not indicated at all (one of the versions is due to the total illiteracy of the population). Coins differed in metal (copper/bronze, silver or gold) and dimensions (diameter, weight).
However, in the context of the above, numismatic curiosities also occur, as in the case of Irish coins of the 20th century. In particular, we are talking about coins of Ireland of denominations of 3 and 6 pingin of 1928-1969 (pingin — Irish penny). Why are they interesting and why is "REUL" here?
The fact is that these coins did not contain any mention of pennies. Instead, each such coin had a large inscription REUL or LEAT REUL (respectively in English: REAL and HALF REAL). The denomination was also indicated in pennies in smaller font and in an outdated format — 3d and 6d respectively (but not logical 3p and 6p). Since the minting of penny coin over 1000 years ago began on the model of Roman denarius, therefore, the tradition of marking pennies with the letter [d] instead [p] was established for centuries.
That is, this is a rare (if not unique) case when the denomination on the coin is indicated in 2 different formats, but in essence it is a completely different, third denomination.
Returning to the essence of the question, what does the term REUL even mean? — The Irish name "reul" is derived from the Spanish real. For most of the 19th century, a pound was equal to 40 reales. The variant spelling reul preserved on the coins themselves even after a 1947 spelling reform established réal insted reul as the standard. Considering that before the decimalization of the second half of the 20th century, the pound was equal to 240 pence, the ratio becomes clear: reul = 6 pence/pingin (half reul = 3 pence/pingin). It is naturally.
One question remains open: how are the Irish and Spanish monetary systems related? Why is it that the Spanish denomination, written in Irish, is shown on the coins of Ireland? Why did other denominations of Irish coins of the same period not have a reference to the Spanish real coin on them?.. I could not find the answer.
