Dead Man's Penny

Irish Gift Solutions recently received an unusual request to make a special housing for a commemorative penny from the First World War. The penny was received by the family in honour of service by the young Irishman. The customer was particularly interested in using Bog Wood for this piece as she felt the quality and texture of the wood would serve to enhance the importance of the penny.

Together with the customer we carefully chose the right piece of BogWood to hold such a precious memento of our history. Each person will see a different shape when they look at a piece of wood, but we all saw Co. Mayo when we looked at this particular piece. The rugged edges of the wood reflect the coastline and a carefully measured circular area was cleared to house the coin.

Mayo holds a special place in our customer’s heart, as that is where Private Michael Fallon hails from. He fought and tragically died in World War 1 and his family have treasured his “Dead Man’s Penny” down through the generations.

 “Dead Man’s Pennies” were issued after World War 1 to the families of British and Empire servicemen and women who had perished as a result of battle. The “pennies” were cast from bronze and are approximately 5 inches in diameter. The design was chosen from a public competition that received over 800 submissions. Edward Carter Preston’s design features Britannia, with her head bowed, holding a trident in her right hand with her left hand outstretched and bearing a wreath. A rectangle bears the name, but not the rank, of the deceased in raised letters. The soldier’s rank was not included as there is no distinction in death between the sacrifices made. A lion stands at Britannia’s feet with a second lion at the base of the penny seen devouring a Prussian Eagle. Two dolphins also feature on the penny symbolising the sea power of the Empire. Around the coin are the words “He died for freedom and honour”. The reverse of the “penny” was left blank as they were designed for display.

Thousands of young Irishmen were involved in the Great War. They went off seeking adventure expecting the fight to be over by Christmas. They received little training before they were despatched to the trenches and their fate was a story told many times over.