1 pound 1979
About This Note
This is an uncirculated 1979 Irish £1 note (Pick P-70b) featuring Queen Maeve on the obverse and a medieval manuscript illuminated letter on the reverse. The note displays crisp, pristine condition with no visible wear, creases, or tears, exhibiting the characteristic green and blue color scheme of Ireland's 1977-1989 pound series. The fine engraving work and Celtic spiral motifs are clearly rendered, making this an excellent example of Central Bank of Ireland's currency design from this period.
Common. The 1977-1989 Irish £1 pound series (Pick P-70 variants) had substantial print runs and remains readily available in the numismatic market. While uncirculated examples command modest premiums over circulated specimens, notes from this series are not scarce, and this P-70b variant is among the standard issues of the series with no reported production restrictions or special rarity factors.
Issued during the late 1970s by the Central Bank of Ireland, this note commemorates Queen Maeve (Medb), a legendary ancient Irish queen, reflecting Ireland's cultural heritage and connection to its Celtic past. The incorporation of medieval manuscript design elements on the reverse further emphasizes Irish historical identity, while the bilingual inscriptions in English and Irish (Gaelic) reflect Ireland's post-independence commitment to cultural preservation. This series was in circulation from 1977 to 1989, representing a significant period of Irish monetary independence prior to European integration.
The obverse features a portrait of Queen Maeve (Medb), the legendary ancient Irish queen, rendered in fine engraving style on the right side of the note. Her figure is depicted with long, wavy hair and is positioned prominently in the composition. The design incorporates multiple Celtic spiral decorative patterns in the center, reflecting ancient Irish artistic traditions. The reverse displays an illuminated medieval manuscript letter 'D' in red and brown with elaborate decorative borders and patterns, typical of Irish manuscript illumination. Both sides feature manuscript-style background patterns and are printed in a green and blue color scheme on the obverse with brown, red, and green tones on the reverse. The watermark features Lady Lavery, consistent with the P-70b designation.
Front side: 'Baile Deanna's' (stylized text of uncertain translation); 'An tOtharnóir' (The Governor); 'Tomás F. Ó Cofaigh' (Name of official); 'Rúnaí na Roinne Airgeadais' (Secretary of the Treasury); '£1' (One Pound); 'IAB 895919 15:06:79' (Serial number and date code: June 15, 1979). Back side: 'Central Bank of Ireland' (English); 'Banc Ceannais na hÉireann' (Central Bank of Ireland in Irish); '£1' (One Pound); 'Legal Tender' (English designation of currency status).
Intaglio engraving (line engraving), characteristic of high-security banknote production. The fine detail visible in the portraits, Celtic spirals, and manuscript illumination indicates professional banknote printing by a recognized security printer, likely De La Rue or similar institution contracted by the Central Bank of Ireland for currency production during this period.
This note is identified as Pick P-70b, one of four catalogued variants (P-70a through P-70d) for the 1977-1989 Irish £1 series, all sharing the Lady Lavery watermark. The variant designation is based on minor printing and signature differences across the series run. The serial number 'IAB 895919' with date code '15:06:79' indicates a June 1979 printing date, which is consistent with the stated 1979 year of issue. The presence of 'Tomás F. Ó Cofaigh' signature identifies this as from his tenure as treasury official during this period.
