The 2013 Annual Mint Set celebrates the Irish Harp. The harp has long been associated with Ireland since earliest times featuring prominently in Irish folklore and legend. A harp first appeared on the coinage of Henry VIII and has been used on modern Irish coins since the original Percy Metcalfe designs issued in 1928.
The Irish euro coins share the same design by Jarlath Hayes, that of the harp, a traditional symbol for Ireland since the Middle Ages, based on that of the Brian Boru harp, housed in Trinity College, Dublin. The same harp is used as the official seals of the Taoiseach, and government ministers and the Official Seal of the President of Ireland.
Issue date: 7 January 2013 |