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FAQ

How to buy

Can I buy the coins in person anywhere? 
Our collector coins and coinsets are only available to buy directly from the Central Bank through our website www.collectorcoins.ie. Payment can be made by debit or credit card. 

How do I know what coins are available for purchase?
All coins that are available for sale can be viewed on our website.

How do I know when new coins become available for sale?
You can subscribe to our newsletter via our website and we will let you know when new coins become available.

Can I obtain pre-Euro products from the Central Bank of Ireland?
No. The Central Bank only sells commemorative Euro coinsets to the public.

Can I purchase rolls or bags of uncirculated coin from the Central Bank?
No. The Central Bank does not issue rolls or bags of uncirculated coin to the public.

Can I request a specific cert number?
No. Coinsets are allocated at random.

What are the sales implications for Great Britain from 1 January 2021?
As a result of Brexit related changes, the Bank is currently unable to facilitate consumer sales to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Registered Great Britain wholesalers are also impacted.

What are the VAT implications for Northern Ireland customers from 1 January 2021?
There are no changes or VAT implications for Northern Ireland customers. Northern Ireland customers continue to pay current Irish rate of 23%. We will continue to apply zero rated Irish VAT on all Northern Ireland wholesale customer orders.

Delivery options

I need my coin urgently. Can you expedite my delivery? 
While we endeavour to ship your order as soon as possible, please note that during busy periods it can take up to 30 days for delivery. Under normal operations, delivery can be expected within 7 working days of receiving your order.

How are coins delivered and how much does it cost?
All coins are sent by registered post. The cost of postage is displayed in the checkout when the destination is selected.

Value of the Coins

Can the Central Bank provide a valuation of my coins? 
Unfortunately, the Central Bank is not in a position to provide coin valuations to the public.

Can other businesses produce and sell collector coins in Ireland? 
No. The Central Bank has sole authority for producing Irish coinage. However, other organisations can mint and sell collector medals and tokens.

What is the difference between a collector coin and a collectable medal/token? 
Collector coins have a nominal face value and are therefore legal tender. Like all Irish coinage, the obverse of Irish collector coins features an image of the harp, year of issue and the word ‘Éire’.

If Irish collector coins are legal tender, can use them to purchase goods and services? 
Individuals, businesses and commercial banks are under no obligation to accept collector coins as payment for goods or services. Face value may be redeemed from the Central Bank, but these coins are likely to be worth substantially more in their collectable form than their nominal value.

Are Irish collector coins legal tender in other EMU countries? 
No. Irish collector coins are only legal tender in Ireland.

Does the face value of a collector coin reflect the value of the metal content?
No. The face value of collector coins is nominal. Traditionally, Irish silver proof collector coins have a face of €15. Coins which are part of the European Silver Coin Programme (‘Europa Star’) have a face value of €10.

Can I lodge my collector coin into my bank account? 
No. Commercial banks do not accept lodgements of collector coins.

Can I exchange my collector coin for its face value? 
Yes. The Central Bank will reimburse the bearer the face value of the collector coin where applicable as we do not offer an ""in person" exchange facility. Please contact currencyservices@centralbank.ie for further information. 

What is the silver and gold content of Irish collector coins? 
All Irish silver proof coins contain .925 sterling silver.
All Irish gold proof coins contain .999 fine gold.

I have old IR£ circulating coin. Are they valuable? 
It is unlikely that circulating IR£ coins would be valuable to collectors. Not only were there millions of these coins in circulation, but collectors generally prefer coins which are in proof, uncirculated or near-uncirculated condition. If you think that your coins may be valuable, you should contact a professional coin dealer for a valuation.
To exchange your coins for face value, please follow the instructions on: https://www.centralbank.ie/consumer-hub/notes-and-coins/exchange-of-notes-and-coins

Design

What is the European Silver Coin (‘Europa Star’) programme? 
Established in 2004, the European Silver Coin Programme is a voluntary EMU collector coin programme which issues commemorative coins annually under a shared theme. All coins in this programme bear the Europa Star symbol. The theme of the programme from 2016 to 2020 is ‘The Ages of Europe’. Other countries that participate in this programme include France, Spain, Portugal and Finland.

How do I submit a design for an Irish collector coin?
We periodically run design competitions. If you are interested in designing a coin for us, please contact us at coindesign@centralbank.ie. Please note, however, that we do not accept unsolicited coin designs.