1 pound 1979
“15.06.79”
About This Note
This is an uncirculated 1979 Central Bank of Ireland £1 note (Pick 70b) featuring an elegant green and blue color scheme with Celtic spiral patterns and manuscript-style background textures. The obverse displays a portrait of a figure with long curled hair and Irish language inscriptions, while the reverse showcases an illuminated manuscript initial letter in medieval style. The crisp printing, clean margins, and absence of any wear, creases, or stains confirm this note's pristine uncirculated condition with the collector-noted date of 15.06.79 perfectly preserved.
Common. The 1979 £1 note (Pick 70b) was part of a standard circulation series issued by the Central Bank of Ireland and does not represent a limited or short-lived issue. The series remained in production for several years, resulting in substantial print runs. While uncirculated examples command modest premiums over circulated notes, this denomination and date combination remains widely available to collectors at reasonable market prices, typically in the $5-15 range for UNC specimens.
Issued during the late 1970s by the Central Bank of Ireland, this banknote reflects Ireland's cultural identity through its prominent use of Irish language text and Celtic artistic motifs, including the distinctive spiral patterns visible on the obverse. The manuscript and illuminated letter styling on the reverse connects to Ireland's rich medieval literary heritage, particularly the famous tradition of illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells. This design approach was characteristic of Irish currency of the period, emphasizing national cultural pride during a formative period in the Republic's monetary history.
The obverse features a three-quarter portrait of a historical figure with shoulder-length curled hair rendered in fine engraved detail, positioned on the right side of the note. The background is dominated by manuscript or literary text in green and blue tones, providing both aesthetic appeal and security against counterfeiting. Ornamental Celtic spiral and circular patterns in green occupy the center of the design, reflecting Ireland's pre-Christian artistic heritage. The reverse displays an illuminated manuscript initial letter (likely 'P' or similar) rendered in brown and red with decorative borders, styled after medieval manuscript traditions. Both sides maintain the manuscript texture background, creating a cohesive design narrative centered on Ireland's cultural and literary legacy.
OBVERSE - Irish Language: 'Bille geann' (Beautiful/Lovely note), 'an totharnóin' (the small bundle), 'rúnaí na roinne airgeadais' (Secretary of the Finance Department), signature 'Tomás F. Ó'Briigh'. English: '£1' (One pound), 'IAB 895919 15·06·79' (Serial number and issue date). REVERSE - English: 'central bank of ireland' (Central Bank of Ireland), '£1' (One pound denomination), 'legal tender' (Legal tender declaration).
Intaglio engraving, the standard security printing method for banknotes of this era. The fine detail visible in the portrait engraving, the manuscript texture backgrounds, and the sharp definition of the Celtic patterns all indicate high-quality intaglio production. The Central Bank of Ireland's banknotes of this period were typically printed by De La Rue or similar specialist security printers, utilizing multiple color passes to achieve the green, blue, brown, and red color scheme observed.
Serial number prefix 'IAB' with serial number 895919 and specific issue date of 15.06.79 (June 15, 1979). Pick 70b designation indicates this is the second signature variety of the 1979 £1 issue. The signature visible as 'Tomás F. Ó'Briigh' (Secretary of the Finance Department) is a key identifier for determining the specific signature variety within the P-70 series. Collectors of Irish banknotes often focus on signature varieties and specific date ranges as distinguishing factors within otherwise standard denomination runs.
