Isle of Man: Prototype designs

[Galapagos]

Proposed 50 pence designs.

These designs date from the mid 1960s.

They show an eagle protecting child in crib.

They are based on a Manx myth telling of a child brought up by an eagle.

[Galapagos]

In 1965 the Manx artist Bryan Kneale was invited by the RM to produce circulation designs for IOM. Illustrated were:-

3d Viking Ship
6d Manx cat
1/- Loghtan ram
2/- Stormy petrel
5/- Falcons

Obverse: Triskele with the date appearing 3 times – between each gap between the legs.

Unfortunately the illustrations were in very poor condition, so I cannot present them here.

No other circulating denominations were to be produced. The designs were very competent but lacking real individuality.

The documents said that the Manx frank motive was to make some money from sales of the sets. The UK Home Office was not keen on the idea of yet another local currency but did not want to stand in Mann's way. Officials were also unsure about Mann's right to mint coinage, but Mann pointed out it had been done before in the 19th century. UK government officials felt that the right to do so was probably implicit anyway in the Act that allowed Mann to produce its own banknotes.

Norman Sillman was assigned to produce models of Kneale's designs, but delays set in over the course of 1965. Eventually it was suggested to Mann that they might delay the plan until decimalisation, to avoid going through the process twice in a short space of time.

[Figleaf]

Indeed, the modern issues of the Isle of Man crowd out the earlier issues, which I find much more interesting. The earliest coins were private issues by British noblemen holding the title of "lord of Man". In 1765, the title came to the British crown. In 1840, the unit of account, the Manx shilling of 14 pence was replaced by the English shilling of 12 pence, causing serious rioting and the end of Manx coinage.

I think that as of that date, the crown (not Tynwald) was entitled to issue coins for the island on the British standard. Apparently, the crown allowed their right to lapse, as Tynwald appropriated it. Thanks for confirming the motives of Tynwald in 1965. I would consider all later issues to be driven only by sales to collectors.

Peter

[<k>]

I've decided to post an image anyway, however poor it is.



3d Viking Ship
6d Manx cat
1/- Loghtan ram
2/- Stormy petrel
5/- Falcons

Obverse: Triskele with the date appearing 3 times – between each gap between the legs.

[Figleaf]

Thanks EMU. Those illustrations are good enough to see what the intention was, certainly better than a mere description. That viking ship design is just great. No attempt to stress the inevitable animal head on the prow. It sails right into your face, just as the Saxons must have seen them. The falcons are pretty innovative. If you must have heraldics, why not concentrate on something else? I suspect that the ram may looks better on a coin than on the pic. The rest looks a bit uninspired to me, especially the pussycat, which reminds me only of the much stronger jaguars on the coins of the black prince.

Peter

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Christopher's Ironside's designs for the 1970 crown.

It depicted the Manx cat, famous for having no tail.




Mr Ironside also designed this 1975 crown.

It portrayed another example of the species.

See also:

1] Christopher Ironside designed coins for many countries.

2] Ironside produced TWO sets of designs for the UK's decimals.

3] Medals by Christopher Ironside.

4] Wikipedia webpage on Mr Ironside: Christopher Ironside.

[<k>]

Some of these halfpenny designs carry the legend "ALT NEW PENCE" instead of "HALF NEW PENNY".

These were prototype designs by Christopher Ironside, for the Isle of Man 1971-5 series.


The design for the 50 pence shows a carving of the Crucifixion, as depicted in the Calf of Man.

It was not adopted but is much like the Manx year 2000 50 pence design.






In the event, only one of these designs was chosen for the coinage.

It graced the penny, not the halfpenny.

The issued halfpenny depicted a Cushag flower.

[Figleaf]

Thanks to your splendid series, I am discovering how well - according to my taste - folk, traditional and ancient art goes on modern coins.

Peter

[<k>]

I suspect we must also thank our forum member Spyke63 - the son-in-law of Mr Ironside - for bequeathing these items to the British Museum. Whether Spyke 63, or members of his family, also photographed the items we see is something I don't know.

[translateltd]

The Manx series from its beginnings until about 1977, including the commemoratives and the contentious 1965 gold issues, was - in my view, anyway - a very nice group to collect.  It's a real shame that what has happened since has wrecked that appeal, as well as destroying the IOM's reputation as a coin issuer.

The 1970 and 1975 "cat" crowns, while presumably non-circulating, are nice adjuncts to the regular coin series.

[<k>]

I liked the first three circulation series:

1] 1971-5: Christopher Ironside.

2] 1976-9: Barry Stanton.

3] 1980-3: Leslie Lindsay.

I didn't like the pseudo-heraldic set that came afterwards.

I'm very fond of the Viking ship designs in the first three series.

There was also a bonus one-off Viking ship 50 pence in 1979.

It commemorated the Millennium of Tynwald.

[<k>]

This unadopted design was intended for the 50 pence.

It depicts Tynwald, the Manx parliament.

[<k>]

Isle of Man, 50 pence, 1970.



This Viking ship design was originally intended for the 5 pence.

It was eventually used on the issued 50 pence coin.

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The issued 5 pence coin.



This Viking design was perhaps a little too detailed for the five pence coin.

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Click on the link below for information on the issued decimal coins of the Isle of Man:

Milestones in the decimal coinage of the Isle of Man