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The Farthing was a small circulating coin of the British pre-decimal Pound Sterling, equal to a quarter of a penny. Prices were never written in farthings though - something worth a farthing would be quoted as 1/4d ("d" being the abbreviation for "penny", from the Roman "denarius"). There were 20 shillings to a pound, 12 pence to a shilling and 4 farthings to a penny, so 960 of these coins made up £1.
The denomination continues the tradition of earlier farthing coins of Great Britain, which also featured the figure of Britannia. The bronze coins of bronze coins of these specifications replaced the larger copper farthings which were issued until 1860. The new, more durable, alloy was composed of 95 parts of copper, four of tin and one of zinc. Between 1860 and 1895, the farthing had the third Britannia design on the reverse, and Queen Victoria's "Bun Head" effigy. During 1895, the reverse was updated to this fourth Britannia design - which is a simplified version of the earlier design by Leonard Charles Wyon, and the obverse to the Queen's "Veiled Head" portrait (in 1895, farthings of the two types were issued). The coins of this type were issued until 1936, with obverses changing to King Edward VII and King George V accordingly. In 1937, the reverse was redesigned for the new issue of King George VI.
Farthings were demonetised before the rest of the pre-decimal currency. They ceased to be legal tender after 31 December 1960. In other words, farthings issued in 1896 remained in circulation for 65 years.
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse of the coin features the crowned bust of Queen Victoria facing left and wearing a widows's veil in mourning for her husband Prince Albert - her last official effigy (by Sir Thomas Brock), known also as the Veiled Head or Old Head.
The veil of a widow falls over the back of her crown; she wears a pearl necklace and a pendant; on the left lapel of the mantle, exhibited full-face, is the ribbon and Star of the Garter, part of the outer edge of which is covered by the veil.
In the field below the bust in small letters are the artist's initials T.B..
Around, the monarch's legend: VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·. Translated from Latin: Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the Britains Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India.
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| Reverse | |
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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 and a flowing dress, resting her right hand on a shield bearing the combined crosses of the Union Flag, and holding a trident in her left hand.
Around above, interrupted by the crest of Britannia's helmet and her trident, the denomination FARTHING.
In exergue, the date 1896. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
FARTHING 1896 |
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| Edge | Plain | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | References to additional information:
[Book] Bressett, Kenneth E. 1962. A Guidebook of English Coins, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. Wisconsin, USA. pp18-20
[Book] Freeman, Michael J. 1970. The Bronze Coinage of Great Britain. Motherwell, Scotland. (2016 ed. pp127-132)
[Book] Remick, Jerome. 1971. The Guide Book and Catalogue to British Commonwealth Coins., pp192-193 |
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