In 2024–2025, the primary focus of the Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast WHS Steering Group was addressing the issue of coin insertion in the iconic Causeway basalt formations.
Visitors have been lodging coins into the basalt formations at the Giant’s Causeway for over 40 years, though this has become significantly more widespread in the past decade, with tourists, inspired by the sight of existing coins, inserting their own into the natural joints and fractures of the basalt formations. As these coins corrode, they expand, leading to damage and staining of the rock surface. In 2023, the British Geological Survey assessed the area and confirmed that this is causing both aesthetic and physical harm.
In response, a trial coin removal was conducted by Cliveden Conservation in February 2024. Building on the success of this trial and with funding from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), a pilot conservation project was commissioned in Summer 2024 by the National Trust and the Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust, on behalf of the WHS Steering Group.
Stone conservation specialists CONSARC and The Rock Stone Masonry were appointed. Between January and March 2025, they carried out detailed mapping, surveying, and carefully removed coins from test areas. In total 9kg of coins were removed and the project demonstrated that stone masonry tools and techniques offer an effective way to remove coins without causing damage. The project also found that approximately 300-400 linear metres of joints are still affected, and it is hoped that with further funding a second phase of coin removal will commence in Autumn 2025. We plan to train volunteer in removal techniques to support long-term conservation at the site.
Visitor messaging has increased to raise awareness of the issue. An informative video featuring Dr Kirstin Lemon from the Geological Survey Northern Ireland and Dr Cliff Henry from the National Trust explains why the coins have become such a problem. This video is shown at the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre and has been widely shared on social media, contributing to a broader understanding of the importance of protecting the WHS from further harm. The video can be viewed by clicking the link below