Explanation Needed: Irish Modern Stamps 30/38c, 45/57c, Etc

Hello!

I got some stamp sheets on ebay to use for postage. Some of the sheets have two numbers, like here:



I wonder if these stamps can be used for postage now, and if yes, then would the value be the number that's before the "c"?

These are from 2001, so I assumed this was when Ireland changes pounds to euro and these are 2 denominations in different currencies, but I'm not sure and I failed to Google an answer.

Thank you!

These, indeed are Christmas stamps issued about two months before the Euro would be in circulation.

On Irish stamps, 'p' is pre-decimal. No curremcy indicator is Punt. The large value is in new pence, the small value with c is in Euro cents.

They, still, should be valid for postage. I have some trouble confirming this.
They are no longer valid. The validity ended 31 December 2002.

Irish Examiner, online version:

Thank you so much!!!

Is An Post the Irish postal agency? Kind of chintsy to not accept those as valid for postage, in my opinion. I think from now on I will just collect used Irish stamps.

You hadn't been thinking of using pre-€ Irish postage stamps had you?

An Post is the Irish national postal service. The name means 'The Post' in Irish.

The stamps were issued when there was no physical Euro currency. The larger numbers are still in new pence. The Euro equivalent was printed on the stamps to make people familiar with the new currency that was introduced on 1 January 2002, when the old Punt was abolished. There was a grace period before the Punt was invalidated. Only Euro stamps remain valid. Most countries have invalidated their stamps denominated in their legacy currencies.

Probably, the fear that companies would increase prices when the old currency was exchanged for the new one also played a role in issuing dual-currency stamps. As there was clarity about the value in Euro, it would not be easy for companies to put a mark-up on the official exchange rate.

As the article states, it had been announced the dual-currency stamps would remain valid only until 31 December 2002.

What to do with those 'saorstát' overprints?