The millennium coin was the first decimal to feature words on it | Obverse: Cláirseach (Celtic harp), Lettering: éIRe 1988. Reverse:  the word ‘Dublin’ and ‘Áth Cliat’, with the Coat of Arms for Dublin. The coin was designed by Tom Ryan. Not many of these limited edition coins were produced.

Production of fifty pence coins ceased between 1988 and 1996 because of previous oversupply and because of reduced demand following the introduction of the twenty pence coin. The coin was withdrawn on the advent of the euro in 2002, with its last minting issue in 2000.