1 pound 1970
Market Prices
About This Note
A pristine uncirculated example of Ireland's Central Bank 1 pound note from 1970 (Pick P-64b), featuring elegant Celtic-inspired design with bilingual English/Irish text. The note displays a classical female portrait on the obverse and a classical male bust on the reverse, both rendered in fine engraved detail with ornate Celtic knotwork borders throughout. In UNC condition with bright cream/beige paper and sharp green and black printing, this note represents excellent preservation of Ireland's decimal currency era.
Common. The 1970 Irish £1 note (P-64b) is a regular issue from the Central Bank of Ireland with no evidence of limited print runs or recall. eBay market data shows typical UNC examples trading in the $25-$175 range with most sales clustering below $100, consistent with common currency in strong demand but readily available. The note was part of Ireland's standard circulation series and no numismatic sources indicate scarcity for this Pick number in this condition.
Issued on 17 September 1970 by the Central Bank of Ireland, this note reflects the post-independence Irish state's commitment to cultural identity through bilingual presentation and Celtic artistic elements. The classical portraits and ornamental Celtic knotwork symbolize Ireland's connection to both Greco-Roman civilization and native Celtic heritage, while the dual-language format (English and Irish/Gaelic) reinforced the official status of Irish language in the newly independent nation's institutions.
This note features two classical portraits representing Irish cultural values. The obverse depicts a woman in left profile within an oval frame, representing classical female imagery, possibly styled after Greek or Celtic artistic traditions. The reverse displays a male bust with curly hair and beard in classical Greco-Roman style, likely representing a historical figure or symbolic character from Irish heritage. Both portraits are framed by ornate Celtic knotwork patterns and interlaced decorative borders featuring scalloped frames and scrollwork in the corners. The £ symbol appears in circular medallions at the corners. The design employs bilateral symmetry with Celtic cross or interlaced design elements at the center top of the obverse, unifying the bilingual presentation (English and Irish Gaelic) of all text elements.
Front Side: 'THE CENTRAL BANK OF IRELAND' / 'BANC CEANNAIS NA HÉIREANN' (Central Bank of Ireland); 'LEGAL TENDER' / 'NÓTA DLÍ-THAIRGTHE' (Legal Tender Note); 'ONE POUND' / 'PUNT' (One Pound); 'GOVERNOR' / 'AN GOBHARNÓIR' (The Governor); 'SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE' / 'RÚNAÍ NA ROINN AIRGEADAIS' (Secretary of the Department of Finance); Serial Number: 90H337508; Issue Date: 17·9·70 (17 September 1970); Signatures: Willoughby (Governor) and Liam (Secretary). Back Side: No textual inscriptions, design-focused.
Intaglio/engraving process, characteristic of high-security banknote production. The fine line work visible in the Celtic knotwork patterns, portrait details, and ornamental borders indicates traditional engraved plate printing. Multiple color printing in green and black inks on cream/beige base stock. Security features rely on engraving complexity rather than modern security threads (as noted by the P-64b designation without security thread, distinguishing it from later P-64c variant). Printed by the Central Bank of Ireland's official security printer.
This note is cataloged as Pick P-64b (Head of Erin watermark variant). The PMG population report identifies four variants within the base Pick number: P-64a, P-64b, P-64c (with security thread), and P-64d. This specific example, lacking a visible security thread and displaying the Head of Erin watermark, confirms the P-64b variety. Observable details include: signature combination of Willoughby (Governor) and Liam (Secretary), issue date of 17 September 1970, and serial number 90H337508 with '90H' prefix. The note is from the earlier 1970 emission before later security thread variants were introduced (P-64c).
