10 shillings 1965
Market Prices
About This Note
This is a pristine uncirculated example of Ireland's 10 shillings banknote from 1965, issued by the Central Bank of Ireland. The note features elegant bilingual English-Irish design with a portrait of a woman in profile on the obverse and a crowned male figure on the reverse, rendered in fine engraved linework with red/coral and green color schemes. The exceptional condition with sharp printing, clear signatures, and complete absence of wear makes this an attractive example of mid-20th century Irish currency design.
Common. The observed eBay price data for this Pick number variant shows a wide range of listed prices for UNC examples ($25.00-$44.10 USD), with multiple sales at modest prices, indicating regular availability in the collector market. The 1965 issue date represents a standard regular-issue banknote from a major national central bank with substantial print runs. While demand exists among Irish numismatists and general collectors, the note does not command significant premiums and is readily obtainable in all grades.
Issued in 1965 during Ireland's period of currency stability under the pound sterling system, this banknote represents the Central Bank of Ireland's commitment to bilingual national identity following independence. The formal portraiture and ornate Celtic-influenced decorative elements reflect Ireland's cultural heritage, while the dual-language inscriptions (English and Irish/Gaelic) underscore the nation's efforts to promote the Irish language in official currency design during this period.
The obverse features a woman's portrait in left profile within an ornate oval medallion, likely representing an allegorical or historical Irish figure, rendered in fine engraved lines characteristic of high-security currency design. The reverse displays a centrally positioned male figure with shoulder-length wavy hair and a crown or laurel wreath, symbolizing authority and national heritage, also enclosed in an ornamental rectangular frame. Both sides feature elaborate Celtic-influenced border work with mesh/crosshatch guilloche patterns, corner flourishes, and repeated denomination numerals. The color scheme employs red/coral and green inks on cream paper, creating visual hierarchy while maintaining security through intricate engraved line work throughout.
FRONT SIDE: 'The Central Bank of Ireland' (English) / 'Banc Ceannais na h Éireann' (Irish); 'Legal Tender Note' (English) / 'Nóta Dlí-Thairgthe' (Irish); 'Ten Shillings' (English) / 'Deich Scillinge' (Irish); 'Governor' (English) / 'An Gobharnóir' (Irish); 'Secretary of the Department of Finance' (English) / 'Rúnaí na Roinn Airgeadais' (Irish); Serial number: 52P6894429; Date: 7·10·65 (July 10, 1965). BACK SIDE: No inscriptions visible in the analyzed imagery; design is purely ornamental with portrait framing.
Intaglio engraving (recess printing) on high-quality banknote paper, utilizing fine line engraving for portrait detail and security patterns. The note exhibits classic guilloche border patterns, mesh-work backgrounds, and multi-color printing with precise color separation typical of mid-20th century central bank currency production. This was likely produced by a specialized security printer contracted to the Central Bank of Ireland, consistent with British Commonwealth security printing standards of the era.
This specimen is catalogued as Pick P-63a, identified by its watermark of the Bank Title. The serial number 52P6894429 with the 'P' prefix is consistent with this variant. The date of issue is July 10, 1965 (7·10·65). Governor and Secretary signatures are present in red/coral ink on the obverse. While PMG has catalogued this as a single variant for the base Pick number, future research into signature varieties, prefix variations, and printing batch differences could reveal additional sub-varieties within this 1965 issue.
