10 shillings 1964
Market Prices
About This Note
This is an uncirculated example of the Central Bank of Ireland's 10 shillings note from 1964 (Pick P-63a), featuring exceptional print quality and sharp, clear imagery throughout. The note displays the characteristic bilingual Irish/English design with a striking red/coral color scheme, a classical female portrait on the obverse, and a classical male head in wreath on the reverse. In UNC condition, this note represents a well-preserved example of mid-20th century Irish currency design, notable for its elegant use of Celtic ornamental patterns and classical artistic influences.
Common. The eBay market data provided shows multiple UNC examples selling in the $25-$44 range, with numerous transactions recorded, indicating steady supply and demand at modest price levels. The 1964 10 shillings note is a regular issue from the Central Bank of Ireland with no documented short print run or recall status. The absence of any premium pricing even in UNC condition confirms this is a readily available note in the collector market.
Issued by the Central Bank of Ireland on June 4, 1964, this note represents the independent Irish state's currency during the early decades following independence. The classical portraiture style—a bearded male head in a laurel wreath on the reverse—evokes ancient Greco-Roman coinage traditions, reflecting Ireland's cultural heritage and artistic sophistication. The bilingual inscriptions in English and Irish (Gaeilge) underscore the post-independence emphasis on Irish language revival and cultural identity within the newly established Republic of Ireland.
The obverse features a classical female portrait in profile facing left, set within an ornate oval frame with intricate decorative borders—this appears to represent Hibernia or a classical female personification associated with Ireland. The reverse displays a classical male head rendered frontally with a full beard, crowned with a laurel wreath, evoking ancient coinage traditions and classical artistic heritage. Both sides incorporate elaborate Celtic-style ornamental knot patterns, meander borders, and fine-line engraving in the corners, demonstrating the high artistry of mid-20th century currency design. The dominant red/coral coloring with cream backgrounds creates a visually distinctive aesthetic characteristic of this series.
FRONT SIDE: 'THE CENTRAL BANK OF IRELAND' (English) / 'BANC CEANNAIS NA h ÉIREANN' (Irish: The Central Bank of Ireland); 'LEGAL TENDER NOTE' (English) / 'NÓTA DLÍ THAIRGTHE' (Irish: Legal Tender Note); 'TEN SHILLINGS' (English) / 'DEICH SCILLINGE' (Irish: Ten Shillings); 'GOVERNOR' (English) / 'AN GOBHARNÓIR' (Irish: The Governor); 'SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE' (English) / 'RÚNAÍ NA ROINNE AIRGEADAIS' (Irish: Secretary of the Department of Finance); Serial Number: '4IP 922188'; Date: '6·4·64' (June 4, 1964); Denomination: '10/-' (Ten Shillings). REVERSE SIDE: No inscriptions visible in analysis.
The note exhibits the fine-line engraving and complex ornamental patterns characteristic of intaglio printing (likely steel engraving). The sharp clarity of the portrait rendering, the intricate border details, and the precision of the decorative elements throughout indicate professional currency production by a specialized security printer. For Irish banknotes of this era, this was likely produced by a major European security printer such as Thomas De La Rue or similar establishment printer, though specific printer attribution would require additional documentation.
Pick P-63a is catalogued with watermark 'Bank Title.' The observed serial number '4IP 922188' with '4IP' prefix appears consistent with the standard series. The date of June 4, 1964 (6·4·64) is the official issue date for this series. No overprints, errors, or known major varieties are apparent from the visual analysis. This appears to be a standard example of the base P-63a variety without distinguishing characteristics that would separate it into a recognized sub-variety.
