Media365
For years, visitors to the Giant’s Causeway have left behind more than photographs and memories. Coins were pushed into gaps between the site’s distinctive basalt columns, sometimes as a gesture of luck or affection. What might have seemed harmless began to leave a physical mark on the rocks. As reported by the BBC, conservation work at the Northern Ireland landmark has removed more than 20kg of coins, roughly equivalent to 10,000 pieces. The job was carried out slowly, often one coin at a time, with some proving stubbornly difficult to dislodge. For those doing the work, the task was less about collecting loose change than undoing a practice that had gradually become a problem for the protected landscape.
How 10,000 coins began damaging the ancient rocks
The habit of wedging coins into the rocks had existed for years, but the scale of it grew during the past decade. Visitors would press coins into narrow gaps in the columns, with some using other stones to hammer them further into place.The National Trust, which looks after the site, became increasingly concerned about what was happening beneath the surface. A Geological Survey of Northern Ireland report had recommended removing the coins because the metal could affect the rocks both physically and chemically.The problem was not simply the presence of metal. As coins weathered, they could corrode and produce staining on the surrounding basalt. Some had become so tightly lodged that removing them required care to avoid causing further damage.“It is a relief, the coins were doing a significant amount of damage ,” Dr Cliff Henry, nature engagement officer with the National Trust.Dr Cliff Henry, a nature engagement officer with the National Trust, said the coins had been capable of putting pressure on the rock around them. As they rusted and expanded, they could press against the sides of the gaps and the columns above.The marks left behind were visible too. Rust-coloured staining had spread down sections of the dark rock, making some areas look markedly different from the natural basalt around them.
More than 20 minutes were needed to free some coins from Giant’s Causeway rocks
The removal work began in May last year and eventually became a slow exercise in patience. Specialist stonemason Nathan Morrow was brought in to deal with the coins. The work was described as both satisfying and frustrating because there was no single method that worked every time.Coins close to the edge of a rock could sometimes be gripped with pliers. Others were buried deeper in narrow spaces and required a grouting tool to loosen them.A particularly stubborn coin could take more than 20 minutes to remove. Others came away almost immediately.For those firmly wedged in place, Morrow found that repeatedly working a coin backwards and forwards could gradually free it. The aim was to get it moving without putting unnecessary pressure on the surrounding stone.It was painstaking work, and the final haul illustrates just how widespread the practice had become. More than 20kg of unwanted coins have now been taken from the site.
The volcanic history behind the Giant’s Causeway’s 40,000 columns
The Giant’s Causeway itself was not shaped by people, of course. Its roughly 40,000 basalt columns formed through volcanic activity millions of years ago.Molten rock forced its way upwards through cracks in the Earth before cooling. As the lava contracted, it fractured into the striking geometric columns that now extend towards the sea.Their unusual appearance has long attracted explanations beyond geology. Irish legend tells of the giant Finn McCool, or Fionn mac Cumhaill, who supposedly built the causeway as a route to Scotland so he could confront another giant.Another story links Finn to the Isle of Man, said to have been formed when he threw a piece of earth during a fight and missed his target.
How removal of 10,000 coins could help teach visitors about conservation
The coin problem is a reminder that even seemingly minor visitor behaviour can accumulate at a heavily visited natural site. Hundreds of thousands of people come to the Giant’s Causeway each year, and a gesture that takes only a few seconds can be repeated thousands of times.For the National Trust, removing the coins is only part of the job. New signs have been installed asking visitors not to put coins into the rocks, while the organisation has also been using its social media channels to reinforce the message.Dr Henry has suggested that visitors who want to leave money behind should instead use a charity collection box, where it can be put to practical use.
