I’ve always been fascinated by this coin, which I was given years ago by my father. Such coins were once pretty common in Dublin, and while most wouldn’t have thought of hanging onto them, a few people did. Frequently Dublin shoppers would look at their coinage and find the likes of ‘UVF’, ‘UDA’, and ‘REM 1690’ (Remember 1690, a reference to the Battle of the Boyne) upon their coinage.
UVF stamped coin (1961 issue date)
In recent times, it seems like dissident republicans are the ones largely responsible for the stamping of coins, and I noticed a recent Belfast Telegraph article dealing with this issue, as ‘RIRA’ has been appearing on currency in the north of Ireland.
A quick search in the archives revealed a fantastic piece in The Irish Times in February 2003 by Joe Armstrong, in which he noted that:
Perhaps the Loyalists were tapping into an earlier nationalist tradition, given that some early 19th century British coins were counter struck with the slogan ‘Repeal’, referring, of course, to the aspiration to repeal the Act of Union between Ireland and Britain.
One coin referenced in the article was said to be stamped ‘BOMB DUBLIN’, although I’ve not been able to find an image of this particular counter struck coin. The earliest reference to the vandalised coins I can find is from the Irish Independent, in an article dated December 1st 1969, in that article it was noted that a boycott of goods from the Republic in the north was intensifying, and that “the boycotting of Irish money had reached the stage that some Irish 2/- pieces are turning up stamped U.V.F”
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Donal
Ciarán
Sam
Come Here To Me! 
Never saw one of those, but it sure beats leaving them on the railway track.
Hi Donal, i’ve a small collection of those coins, i must scan them and send them onto you. I attended a good talk on them some years ago in the Irish Numismatic Society in Ely Place. I’m sure i still have the printed handout from the talk, i’ll scan it too and pass it on.
As far as i can recall from the talk, both sides of the community engaged in the defacing, but it was largely a Loyalist thing as some republicans saw it as a waste of time and somewhat petty. The Loyalists churned out regular amounts of them, from UVF/UDA sanctioned conveyor belt like set-ups within Harland & Wolff, to local garden shed DIY enthusiasts.
One of the Republican ones appeared on Ebay earlier this year.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Irish-Republican-Army-defaced-coin-/280833872838?pt=UK_Collectables_Memorabila_RL&hash=item416300d3c6&nma=true&si=O6Fmt%2Bj5%2FLE2K30aogj%2BYi2v91I%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Brilliant comment and thanks for your offer Garry!
FFS!
I had a few of these, you always seemed to come back from the Holyhead ferry with them, both Irish and English coins. I seem to remember you could use English coins here anyway.
Have a poster from the 70s
“Loyalists and Protestants. Hit Eire and Lynch where they will feel it most. REFUSE Eire Money BOYCOTT all her goods.To trade with Ulster’s enemies is Treachery. No Surrender.”
http://irishelectionliterature.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/refuse-eire-money-boycott-all-her-goods-ulster-constitution-defence-committee-poster-from-the-1970s/
R them sort of coins rare, How much are them sort of coins to buy?
Hi Tom. I’m not sure in all honesty. They pop up sporadically on eBay and go for small amounts, they’re still nice historic pieces.
Thanks dfallon