Farthing (British coin)

This article is about the bronze coin minted between 1860 and 1956. For the earlier history of the farthing, see History of the farthing.

One farthing

United Kingdom
Value	⁠+1/960⁠ pound sterling
Mass	2.83 g
Diameter	20.19 mm
Edge	Plain
Composition	Bronze
Years of minting	1860–1956
Obverse
Design	Elizabeth II
Designer	Mary Gillick
Design date	1953
Reverse
Design	Wren (Britannia on earlier mintages)
Designer	Harold Wilson Parker
Design date	1937

Old-style reverse used 1895 to 1936 featuring Britannia

The British farthing (⁠1/4⁠d) coin, from Old English fēorðing, from fēorða, a fourth, was a unit of currency of one quarter of a penny, or ⁠1/960⁠ of a pound sterling. It was minted in bronze, and replaced the earlier copper farthings. It was used during the reigns of six monarchs: Victoria, Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI and Elizabeth II, but ceased to be legal tender on 1 January 1961. It featured two different designs on its reverse during its 100 years in circulation: from 1860 until 1936, the image of Britannia; and from 1937 onwards, the image of a wren. Like all British coinage, it bore the portrait of the monarch on the obverse.

Before Decimal Day in 1971, there were 240 pence (the plural of penny) in one pound sterling. There were four farthings in a penny, 12 pence made a shilling, and 20 shillings made a pound. Values less than a pound were usually written in terms of shillings and pence, e.g., three shillings and six pence (3/6), pronounced "three and six" or "three and sixpence". Values of less than a shilling were simply written in pence, e.g., 8d, pronounced "eightpence". A price with a farthing in it would be written like this: (19/⁠11+1/4⁠), pronounced "nineteen and elevenpence farthing".

The purchasing power of a farthing from 1860 to its demise at the beginning of 1961 ranged between 12p to 2p in 2017 GB Pound values.

Design

The original reverse of the coin, designed by Leonard Charles Wyon, is a seated Britannia, holding a trident, with the word FARTHING above. Issues before 1895 also feature a lighthouse to Britannia's left and a ship to her right. Various minor adjustments to the level of the sea depicted around Britannia, and the angle of her trident were also made over the years. Some issues feature toothed edges, while others feature beading.

Over the years, seven different obverses were used. Edward VII, George V, George VI and Elizabeth II each had a single obverse for farthings produced during their respective reigns. Over the long reign of Queen Victoria two different obverses were used, and the short reign of Edward VIII meant that no farthings bearing his likeness were ever issued.

The farthing was first issued with the so-called "bun head", or "draped bust" of Queen Victoria on the obverse. The inscription around the bust read VICTORIA D G BRITT REG F D (abbreviated Latin: Victoria by the grace of God queen of Britain defender of the faith). This was replaced in 1895 by the "old head", or "veiled bust". The inscription on these coins read VICTORIA DEI GRA BRITT REGINA FID DEF IND IMP (Victoria by the grace of God queen of Britain defender of the faith empress of India).

Coins issued during the reign of Edward VII feature his likeness and bear the inscription EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA BRITT OMN REX FID DEF IND IMP (Edward VII by the grace of God king of all Britain defender of the faith emperor of India). Similarly, those issued during the reign of George V feature his likeness and bear the inscription GEORGIVS V DEI GRA BRITT OMN REX FID DEF IND IMP (George V by the grace of God king of all Britain defender of the faith emperor of India).

A farthing of King Edward VIII (1936) does exist, dated 1937, but technically it is a pattern coin, i.e. one produced for official approval, which it would probably have been due to receive about the time that the King abdicated. The obverse shows a left-facing portrait of the king (who considered this to be his best side, and consequently broke the tradition of alternating the direction in which the monarch faces on coins — some viewed this as indicating bad luck for the reign); the inscription on the obverse is EDWARDVS VIII D G BR OMN REX F D IND IMP (Edward VIII by the grace of God king of all Britain defender of the faith emperor of India).

The pattern coin of Edward VIII and regular-issue farthings of George VI and Elizabeth II feature a redesigned reverse displaying the wren, one of Britain's smallest birds.

George VI issue coins feature the inscription GEORGIVS VI D G BR OMN REX F D IND IMP (George VI by the grace of God king of all Britain defender of the faith emperor of India) before 1949, and GEORGIVS VI D G BR OMN REX FIDEI DEF (George VI by the grace of God king of all Britain defender of the faith) thereafter. Unlike the penny, farthings were minted throughout the early reign of Elizabeth II, bearing the inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRA BRITT OMN REGINA F D (Elizabeth II by the grace of God queen of all Britain defender of the faith) in 1953, and ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F D (Elizabeth II by the grace of God queen defender of the faith) thereafter.

Obverse designs

• 
  Victoria (old)
• 
  Victoria (new)
• 
  Edward VII
• 
  George V
• 
  George VI
• 
  Elizabeth II

Mintages

Victoria (Veiled bust)
1895 ~ 2,852,852 (inc bun head bust) 1896 ~ 3,668,610 1897 ~ 4,579,800 1898 ~ 4,010,080 1899 ~ 3,864,616 1900 ~ 5,969,317 1901 ~ 8,016,460

Edward VII
1902 ~ 5,125,120 1903 ~ 5,331,200 1904 ~ 3,628,800 1905 ~ 4,076,800 1906 ~ 5,340,160 1907 ~ 4,399,360 1908 ~ 4,264,960 1909 ~ 8,852,480 1910 ~ 2,298,400

George V

1911 ~ 5,196,800 1912 ~ 7,669,760 1913 ~ 4,184,320 1914 ~ 6,126,988 1915 ~ 7,129,255 1916 ~ 10,993,325 1917 ~ 21,434,844 1918 ~ 19,362,818 1919 ~ 15,089,425 1920 ~ 11,480,536 1921 ~ 9,469,097 1922 ~ 9,956,983 1923 ~ 8,034,457 1924 ~ 8,733,414 1925 ~ 12,634,697 1926 ~ 9,792,397 1927 ~ 7,868,355 1928 ~ 11,625,600 1929 ~ 8,419,200 1930 ~ 4,195,200 1931 ~ 6,595,200 1932 ~ 9,292,800 1933 ~ 4,560,000 1934 ~ 3,052,800 1935 ~ 2,227,200 1936 ~ 9,734,400

George VI
1937 ~ 8,131,200 1938 ~ 7,449,600 1939 ~ 31,440,000 1940 ~ 18,360,000 1941 ~ 27,312,000 1942 ~ 28,857,600 1943 ~ 33,345,600 1944 ~ 25,137,600 1945 ~ 23,736,000 1946 ~ 24,364,800 1947 ~ 14,745,600 1948 ~ 16,622,400 1949 ~ 8,424,000 1950 ~ 10,324,800 1950 Proof ~ 17,513 1951 ~ 14,016,000 1951 Proof ~ 20,000 1952 ~ 5,251,200

Elizabeth II
1953 ~ 6,131,037 1954 ~ 6,566,400 1955 ~ 5,779,200 1956 ~ 1,996,800

See also

• Pound sterling
• Mill (currency)

External links

• British Coins – information about British coins (from 1656 to 1952)
• Collection of copper & bronze pennies of Great Britain
• About Farthings A photographic collection of farthings
• My Farthing Collection A Private Collection of farthings dating from 1799-1956