Sixpence for Her Shoe - Irish
Irish Wedding Gifts
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  • Description

Sixpence in her shoe is an Irish wedding tradition that is based upon the Victorian rhyme along with superstition. An Irish bride would wear a sixpence in her shoe for both luck and prosperity.

The first Irish sixpence was minted in silver in 1544. Over the centuries the Irish coin underwent several size and composition changes. Ireland's modern day coinage was issued in 1928 after years of planning by a committee, whose chairman was W.B Yeats.

The sixpence featured the Brian Boru harp on one side and an Irish wolf hound on the other; it was minted from copper and nickel that created a silver color coin. The coin was issued sporadically until 1969. In 1971, Ireland abandoned the pounds -shilling - pence monetary system and introduced the decimal system.

The Irish sixpence is still affectionately held as a talisman and timeless keepsake.  

 

Irish brides should have something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence for her shoe. The Irish sixpence represents wealth, both financially along with the riches of a happy marriage.

An element of superstition is also connected with this Irish wedding tradition. The sixpence works as a lucky charm that will keep the bride safe on her wedding day.

This Irish sixpence is a previously circulated coin that was minted in Ireland between 1928 and 1969. The lucky coin is gift packaged with an Irish sixpence history card, complements of The Irish Gift House.