Halfpenny (Britannia, third design), Coin Type from United Kingdom - detailed information

The obverse of the coins shows the young effigy of Queen Victoria by Leonard Charles Wyon, which is widely known as the "Bun Head" due to the Queen's hairstyle.

The portrait depicts Queen Victoria facing left, wearing a bodice and a mantle decorated with rose, thistle and shamrock (the floral symbols of the constituent parts of the United Kingdom - England, Scotland and Ireland respectively); in her hair is a wreath of leaves and berries tied at back with ribbon, her hair is drawn to a plaited bun behind; she wears a circular brooch; at the back of her shoulder, a small part of the Star of the Garter is visible, with a small part of its motto ("HONI SO") readable.

Around, the monarch's legend VICTORIA D : G : BRITT : REG : F : D :. Translated from Latin: Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the Britains, Defender of the Faith.

Freeman describes several obverse varieties:

Obverse 1 (1860)
As the obverse of the penny coins of the same year, with a beaded border. There are minor differences such as a slightly different expression of the face, different number of leaves and berries in the wreath, only "HONI S" visible from the motto of the Order of the Garter etc. The main difference is the lack of designer;s signature below the bust. The bus measures 20.5 mm from the top of the head to the base of the mantle, at the centre of each.

Obverse 1* (1860)
Similar to Obverse 1 but facial features as those described for the penny Obverse 1*, most of all the forehead being more rounded. The knot connecting the ribbon to the lowest leaves of the wreath has been removed.

Obverse 2 (1860)
Similar to Obverse 1 but with a toothed border. The profile is different, the nose and lips more rounded, there is a curl of hair curving downwards 1 mm from the bust. The bust measures 20.75 mm.

Obverse 3 (1860 - 1861)
Similar to Obverse 2 but with smaller facial features. There is an incuse border dividing the leaves in the wreath.

Obverse 4 (1860 - 1861)
Similar to Obverse 3 but there are now 15 leaves in the wreath (where they were 14 before); there are only four berries. The border teeth are short.

Obverse 5 (1860 - 1861)
Similar to Obverse 4 but there are no incuse lines at the upper part of the "bun". However, there are now double incuse lines depicting the veins in some leaves, The lettering of the legend is heavier.

Obverse 6 (1861)
Similar to Obverse 5 but the veins of seven leaves now have double incuse lines. The eye is set farther back from the bridge of the nose compared to earlier obverses.

Obverse 7 (1860 - 1874)
A new obverse corresponding to Obverse 6 of the one penny. The Queen's nose is now slightly curved, as is the mouth; her hair is more wavy. There are 16 leaves in the wreath. All leaf veins are in relief.

Obverse 8 (1874)
Similar to Obverse 4, with 15 leaves to the wreath, and from a retouched die of that obverse. There is no "HONI S" on the shoulder; instead, there are two parallel incuse lines.

Obverse 9 (1874)
A slightly older bust of the Queen, differing from that on Obverse 7; there are still 16 leaves in the wreath, but differently arranged. The Queen's hair is very wavy; the loose ends of the ribbon are distinctly crimped. There is no part of the letter "O" after "HONI S" where a small part was visible earlier.

Obverse 10 (1874)
Similar to Obverse 9 but the neck is thicker, and the back straighter. The Queen's nose is slightly larger.

Obverse 11 (1875)
Similar to Obverse 9. The facial features of the Queen are older; the mouth extends more deeply into the cheek, curving downwards. The edges of many of the wreath leaves are crinkled.

Obverse 12 (1875)
Similar to Obverse 11, but the neck is thicker and straight at the back, as on Obverse 10. The mouth is deep and angled as on Obverse 11, but the nose is shorter and hooked.

Obverse 13 (1875 - 1877)
Similar to Obverse 12, with thick neck; however, various features that were weakly struck on Obverse 11 and Obverse 13 are now sharply defined. There are incuse lines on the hair above the wreath. The rose at the neckline is sharp and slightly smaller than before.

Obverse 14 (1876 - 1879)
Similar to Obverse 13 but the neck is thinner and more curved at the back. The eye is much closer to the bridge of the nose. The truncation base is no longer flattened at the right; the design of the mantle extends down to its edge. The B of BRITT is almost in contact with the back of the head.

Obverse 15 (1878 - 1881, 1883)
Similar to Obverse 14 but the bridge of the nose is lower. The forehead bulges outward, and the nape hair is shorter and thicker. The back is more rounded. The legend is in higher relief.

Obverse 15* (1880 - 1881)
Similar to Obverse 15 but has an extra leaf in the second row. The forehead does not bulge out below the hairline. The legend is in normal relief.

Obverse 16 (1881, 1883)
Similar to Obverse 15 but, as on Obverse 12, the line from the tip of the nose to the upper lip is straighter. The eye is set back further from the bridge of the nose. The border teeth are longer and narrower.

Obverse 17 (1881, 1883 - 1894)
Similar to Obverse 16 but, instead of a rose at the centre of the neckline, there is a brooch consisting of seven distinct stones. There is much less hair at the top of the forehead.

Obverse 18 (1882 - 1883)
Very similar to Obverse 16 but the hair to the left of the ear and overlapping it is less wavy. The hair which is carried down from the brow is straighter.

Obverse 19 (1882 - 1883)
Very similar to Obverse 17 but instead of a brooch at the neckline, there is a rose as on earlier obverses. The border teeth are shorter.

The reverse of the coin shows, within a beaded border, the figure of Britannia - the female personification of Great Britain - seated facing right, wearing a crested Corinthian helmet pushed back to reveal her face, resting her right hand on a shield bearing the combined crosses of the Union Flag, and holding a trident in her left hand.

In the background at right, a ship sailing away; at left, a lighthouse. Around left and right, the denomination HALF PENNY. In exergue, the date.

Freeman describes several reverse varieties:

Reverse A (1860)
As the reverse of the penny coins of the same year, but the denomination reads HALF PENNY (divided by the figure of Britannia). The border has circular dots, the circle inside the border is continuous. There are no designer's initials. The crosses of the shield are depicted by double incuse lines.

Reverse B (1860)
Similar to Reverse A but with a toothed border. The crosses of the shield are depicted by double raised lines. The lighthouse tapers upwards, its top is pointed.

Reverse C (1860)
Similar to Reverse B but the top of the lighthouse is rounded, and its width is almost uniform from the lantern down.

Reverse D (1860 - 1861)
A touched-up version of Reverse C. The breastplate is depicted by incuse lines, as is the drapery below Britannia's waist.

Reverse E (1861 - 1862)
Similar to Reverse D but has the designer's initials L.C.W. incuse on the rock above the 8 and 6 of the date.

Reverse F (1861 - 1862)
This is a distinctive reverse, with Britannia's shoulder smaller and the hair descending from the back of her head almost in line with the arm. The details of her breastplate are in relief. The rim of the shield is flat, where previously it was recessed.

Reverse G (1861 - 1873)
Similar to Reverse B, but Britannia's head is slightly larger. The breastplate has incuse lines. The lighthouse is not as narrow as before, and the windows are larger; there is a small door at the right on its base. The linear circle is closer to the toothed border.

Reverse H (1862)
Similar to Reverse F but the crosses on the shield have been turned slightly anti-clockwise. The shield rim is recessed, where it was flat before.

Reverse I (1873 - 1874)
Similar to Reverse F, but with a clearly defined incuse hemline to the drapery which overlaps the shield. The shield rim is slightly recessed. The upper and lower arms of St Andrew's Cross are out of alignment with each other.

Reverse J (1874 - 1875, 1877)
Similar to Reverse C but the tail feathers on the helmet plume are thinner, and the trident prongs are larger. The lighthouse has only two faint windows. The shield rim is thick and not recessed. The border teeth are longer.

Reverse K (1874)
Very similar to Reverse J but the lighthouse has no windows.

Reverse K* (1875 - 1876)
Virtually as Reverse K, but parts which were undefined or poorly defined are now clearly defined. Britannia's left leg is visible where the trident shaft descends. The date numerals are less widely separated and are higher in the exergue, leaving more space for the mint mark H (which is found on all coins with Reverse K*).

Reverse L (1875)
Similar to Reverse J, with windows to the lighthouse which is now closer to the edge of the coin; the rocks to the left of it are smaller. The rim is thicker. The H in HALF has been turned anti-clockwise. The date numerals are more widely spaced, and are closer to the exergue line. The waves on both sides are finely and sharply cut.

Reverse M (1876)
Similar to Reverse K* but the date numerals are much closer together than on previous reverses. The lighthouse has three windows, and its top is less than 1 mm from the H of HALF, which is turned anti-clockwise as on Reverse L. The legend is farther from the linear circle.

Reverse N (1877 - 1878)
Very similar to Reverse L, but the legend is higher on the flan. The lighthouse masonry has vertical as well as horizontal lines. The waves are not as sharp as on Reverse L. The helmet plume is shorter and thicker. The lighthouse is closer to the linear circle.

Reverse O (1878 - 1879, 1881)
Similar to Reverse M, with its close numerals, but the lighthouse is slightly thinner, without windows or masonry; the upper section has vertical lines. The linear circle is thicker and farther from the border.

Reverse O* (1881)
As Reverse O, but the lighthouse has windows.

Reverse P (1880)
Similar to Reverse O but the lighthouse is much narrower at the top than at the base; there are four windows. Most specimens have a drapery fold which rises slightly above the level of the others around it.

Reverse Q (1881)
Similar to Reverse P, but the shield is heraldically coloured (the colours of the flag are represented by thin diagonal, vertical or horizontal lines). Unlike the comparable Reverse M of the one penny coin, the lower left limb of the diagonal cross erroneously has the vertical lines on its left instead of its right. The lighthouse has four windows, and tapers towards the top more than before. There are no vertical lines on the lantern.

Reverse R (1882)
Similar to Reverse Q but the vertical lines on the lower left limb of St andrew's Cross are now correct (on its right side and not on its left). Below the trident prongs there are two small rings encircling the shaft. The border teeth are narrower and longer.

Reverse S (1882 - 1894)
Very similar to Reverse R, but the top of the lighthouse is very small. The outline of Britannia's abdomen is concave. The drapery over her shoulder has fewer folds; her head and helmet are thicker.

References to additional information:

[Book] Bressett, Kenneth E. 1962. A Guidebook of English Coins, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. Wisconsin, USA. pp 24-26
[Book] Freeman, Michael J. 1970. The Bronze Coinage of Great Britain. Motherwell, Scotland. (2016 ed. pp76-99)
[Book] Remick, Jerome. 1971. The Guide Book and Catalogue to British Commonwealth Coins., pp197-198