Overview
The 20 Pence 1985 coin was a third largest denomination in the Irish Decimal Coins 1969-2001-coin series of Ireland. This 20 Pence 1985 coin was produced in 1985 only to help vending machine operators and other coin-operated systems calibrate their machines. These coin 1985 20p coins were all supposed to be returned to the Dublin Mint after calibration but they were not and this has made them incredibly rare and incredibly valuable. It is unknown how many of these 20 pence 1985 coins were produced. The video shown gives an overview of each of the Irish Decimal Coins.
Unfortunately, no other year of 20 pence coin has anywhere near as much value as the 1985 20 pence coin. You can see exactly how much the other 20 pence coins are worth here.
Coin collecting can be full of unusual terms and phrases. If you are unsure what any of the terms on this page mean, check out our 180 Best Coin Collecting Terms Explained post. Here we explain every term in an easy to understand way.
If you want to understand how coin grading works and how to for instance find out the value of your Irish 20 pence 1985 coin, our Awesome Guide to Coin Grading In 3 Simple Steps article will help here.
Identifying Features
Denomination: 20 Pence
KM Code: KM# Pn3
Coin Series: Decimal 1969-2001
Year Produced: 1985
Known Mintage: Unknown
Distribution: Standard Circulation
Mint: Currency Centre Dublin
Design Features
The design was created by Percy Metcalfe and was used for the Half Crown Coin. Both the Irish Free State Coin Series and the Half Crown Coin in the Pre Decimal Coin Series used this design. See below an example of each of these types of Half Crown Coins.
Themes: Horses, Mammals, Musical Instruments
Designer: Percy Metcalfe
Obverse Description: Irish harp
Reverse Description: Horse
RELATED ARTICLES AND POSTS:
Half Crown 1928-1937
Half Crown 1951-1967
Mule Half Crown 1961
20 Pence 1986-2000
Mechanical Features- How to spot a fake 20 pence 1985 coin.
The Mechanical features of a coin are things like the size, weight, thickness and diameter for example. Looking at the mechanical features of a coin is the easiest way to tell if a coin is real or fake. When it comes to a valuable coin such as the 20 pence 1985 coin you should pay close attention to the mechanical details to ensure what you have or might have is genuine. Coins like the 20 pence 1985 are faked regularly.
Quite often a fake will not match the mechanical features of the original coin when faked. Checking these features should be the first thing you do if you have your suspicions about a coin. Coins are produced very precisely to match the predetermined mechanical features.
Weight: 8.4700g
Diameter: 27.1mm
Thickness: 2.00 mm
Rim: Raised. Not decorated. Both sides
Shape: Circular
Edge: Segmented reeding
1985 20 Pence Values
Below the 20 Pence values are shown on a grading scale, the higher on the scale the better condition the coin is in and therefore the more valuable. Check out our Awesome Guide to Coin Grading In 3 Simple Steps article to learn more about coin grading. This coin is also featured on our Top 20 Valuable Irish Coins Article which you may be interested in.
When it comes to coin values condition is everything, the better condition or grade the coin is in the more valuable it becomes. Apart from condition or grade, the scarcity of a coin is also hugely important.
| Year & Version | Mintage | AG3 | G4 | VG8 | F12 | VF20 | XF40 | AU50 | MS60 | MS63 | Proof | 1985 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8,000 | – | – |
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This purpose of this website is to educate and entertain. All values shown are a guideline only and should not be used for any means of financial investment or speculation, as with all things values may fluctuate depending on demand and scarcity, we strongly advise that all information on this website is used as it was intended – for entertainment purposes. The information relating to coins is sourced from many places such as NGC, PCGS and The Irish Central Bank.
One Response
I have a 1986 20p coin how much is it worth