Over 10,000 coins removed from Giant’s Causeway as NT warns visitors to stop damaging World Heritage Site

The Giant’s Causeway, on Northern Ireland’s North Antrim coastline.

Thousands of coins wedged into the basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway have now been removed after experts warned the long-standing visitor tradition was causing lasting damage to one of Northern Ireland’s most famous natural landmarks.

The National Trust has confirmed that a major conservation project at the UNESCO World Heritage Site has been completed, with specialists removing 20.5kg of coins — around 10,000 in total — from the iconic basalt columns.

Why the coins had to be removed

The work followed the partial collapse of rock on the eastern face of the Grand Causeway in August 2025, after which conservation efforts resumed in May this year.

According to a study by geologists from the British Geological Survey, forcing coins into the natural cracks between the basalt columns is damaging the rock both physically and visually.

The coins that have been placed in stones over the years at Giant’s Causeway have now been removed after the long-term damage to the site was discovered.

As the coins corrode, they expand, placing pressure on the surrounding basalt and widening existing fractures. The practice has become increasingly common over the past decade as visitors copy coins left behind by others.

To tackle the problem, the National Trust worked with Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust and specialist stonemasons from The Rock Stone Masonry to carefully remove as many coins as possible without causing further damage to the ancient rock formations.

Global appeal appears to be working

Earlier this year, the National Trust launched an international appeal asking visitors to “leave no trace” and stop inserting coins into the rocks.

The organisation said the campaign received worldwide media attention, reaching an estimated audience of 3.3 billion people.

Encouragingly, the Trust says areas cleared during the project have seen very few new coins inserted, suggesting many visitors are already changing their behaviour.

The site will continue to be monitored, with any newly deposited coins removed as part of ongoing conservation work.

One of Northern Ireland’s greatest natural landmarks

The Giant’s Causeway, on the north Antrim coast, is Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world each year.

Formed around 60 million years ago by volcanic activity, the site is made up of approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns. While Irish folklore famously tells of the giant Finn McCool building a causeway to Scotland, its remarkable geological formation has made it internationally significant for scientific study as well as tourism.

As one of Northern Ireland’s best-known attractions, preserving the Causeway is seen as essential both for future generations and for the region’s tourism economy.

Appeal to visitors

Dr Cliff Henry, Nature Engagement Officer with the National Trust

Dr Cliff Henry, Nature Engagement Officer with the National Trust, said:

“So we now know that putting coins into the stones looks unsightly, but it also causes a significant amount of damage to the stones themselves.

“So, we’re really appealing to people to not put the coins in, in the first place. It takes quite a lot of effort to get them out.

“Help us to preserve this wonderful World Heritage Site for future generations.”

The National Trust thanked Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust, the Giant’s Causeway World Heritage Site Steering Group and its other partners for supporting the conservation project.

The charity is continuing to urge everyone visiting the Giant’s Causeway to enjoy the site responsibly by leaving no trace and avoiding practices that could damage one of Northern Ireland’s most important natural treasures.