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CC 234 2016
Coin set
Proof
Coin set proof
Ireland · 100 years Easter Rising 1916
Mintage4,000
Issue price€80.00
Issue date20 Jan 2016
PackagingCoin set
Edge lettering2 ★ ★ × 6, alternating upright/inverted
Market price€89.00
Issue occasion
The coin commemorates the hundredth anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916, which began with the seizure of the General Post Office. The design features the statue HIBERNIA, created by John Smyth, on the roof of the General Post Office, symbolising Ireland’s past, present and future. The hand-lettered inscription “HIBERNIA” refers to the historic Book of Kells; sunrays represent the Rising and the Proclamation as the starting point of a new nation and republic.
The design
The coin depicts the statue HIBERNIA on the roof of the General Post Office, the capture of which marked the beginning of the Easter Rising in 1916. The name of the statue, a symbol of Ireland, can be traced back to the Ancient Greek name for Ireland. The statue is a work by the sculptor John Smyth and is regarded as a witness to the events of 1916 and, for one hundred years, as a symbol of the country’s development based on the ideals of the Proclamation. Its gaze is directed towards the future; it is equally a symbol of the country’s past, present and future. At the upper edge of the inner circle, “HIBERNIA” appears in handwritten lettering—a reference to the historical “Book of Kells”. The rays of the sun symbolise the Rising and the Proclamation, which marked the beginning of the development of a new nation and a new republic. The years “1916” and “2016” appear beside the statue. At the lower edge of the inner circle is the name of the issuing country, “Eire”, and below it the year of issue, “2016”.
The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer coin ring.
The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer coin ring.
Background on the topic
The Easter Rising began on Easter Monday, 24 April 1916, against the backdrop of the Irish struggle for independence and the introduction of limited self-government, which had been postponed since 1914. While Great Britain was engaged in the First World War, several hundred members of the Irish Volunteers, the Irish Citizen Army and other nationalist organisations occupied strategic buildings in Dublin. Smaller actions also took place outside the capital.
The rebels established their headquarters in the General Post Office (Hauptpostamt). There, Patrick Pearse read out the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. It declared Ireland an independent state, invoked the equality of citizens and expressly included women’s suffrage. It was signed by seven members of a provisional government, including Pearse, James Connolly and Thomas J. Clarke.
The General Post Office (Hauptpostamt) is a neoclassical building on what is now O’Connell Street. It was built to plans by the architect Francis Johnston and opened in 1818. During the fighting, the building came under fire and largely burned out; the stone main façade survived. It was later rebuilt and again used as a post office. As a result, it remained both a site of everyday state functions and a place of remembrance for the events of 1916.
After just under a week, the rebels surrendered in order to avoid further civilian casualties. The British authorities subsequently had fifteen leading participants executed. These executions and the arrest of numerous people changed public opinion in Ireland. The Rising did not lead directly to independence, but became a point of reference for Sinn Féin’s electoral success in 1918, the War of Independence and the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922.
The centenary formed part of the Irish state commemorative programme for the upheavals of the years 1912 to 1923. The coin issue thus placed the Rising within the remembrance of the creation of the present-day Irish state.
The rebels established their headquarters in the General Post Office (Hauptpostamt). There, Patrick Pearse read out the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. It declared Ireland an independent state, invoked the equality of citizens and expressly included women’s suffrage. It was signed by seven members of a provisional government, including Pearse, James Connolly and Thomas J. Clarke.
The General Post Office (Hauptpostamt) is a neoclassical building on what is now O’Connell Street. It was built to plans by the architect Francis Johnston and opened in 1818. During the fighting, the building came under fire and largely burned out; the stone main façade survived. It was later rebuilt and again used as a post office. As a result, it remained both a site of everyday state functions and a place of remembrance for the events of 1916.
After just under a week, the rebels surrendered in order to avoid further civilian casualties. The British authorities subsequently had fifteen leading participants executed. These executions and the arrest of numerous people changed public opinion in Ireland. The Rising did not lead directly to independence, but became a point of reference for Sinn Féin’s electoral success in 1918, the War of Independence and the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922.
The centenary formed part of the Irish state commemorative programme for the upheavals of the years 1912 to 1923. The coin issue thus placed the Rising within the remembrance of the creation of the present-day Irish state.
Interesting Facts
2016 annual set “100th anniversary of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic”, containing all eight denominations from 1 cent to 2 euro, as well as this €2 commemorative coin (face value: €5.88)