Halfpenny 1874, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information
| |||||||||
The British pre-decimal halfpenny coin (abbreviated as ½d), usually simply known as a halfpenny or half penny, was a unit of currency that equalled half of a penny or one four-hundred-and-eightieth of a pound sterling (there were 20 shillings to a pound, and 12 pence to a shilling so one pound was equal to 240 pence, so 480 of these coins made up £1). The denomination continues the tradition of earlier halfpenny coins of Great Britain, which also featured the figure of Britannia. The bronze coins of this type replaced the larger copper halfpennies which were issued until 1860; copper was considered to be impractical as it wore too rapidly due to extensive circulation. The new, more durable, alloy was composed of 95 parts of copper, four of tin and one of zinc. The coins were also smaller and thinner, therefore more convenient to carry. The dies were engraved by Leonard Charles Wyon, then Engraver to the Royal Mint. The reverse features a new, third, design of Britannia. The obverse carries Leonard Wyon's "Bun Head" portrait of Queen Victoria. Both sides were updated to the halfpennies carrying the fourth Britannia design and a new effigy of the Queen in 1895. Halfpenny coins issued in 1874 remained in circulation for 95 years until 1969, when they were demonetised prior to the decimalisation of the currency. | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Variety | Obverse 8, Reverse I, Royal Mint (Freeman 313) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mintage | Issued: unknown (included in total) | |
| Variety | Obverse 8, Reverse J, Royal Mint (Freeman 314) | |
| Mintage | Issued: unknown (included in total) | |
| Variety | Obverse 9, Reverse I, Royal Mint (Freeman 315) | |
| Mintage | Issued: unknown (included in total) | |
| Variety | Obverse 9, Reverse J, Royal Mint (Freeman 316) | |
| Mintage | Issued: unknown (included in total) | |
| Variety | Obverse 9, Reverse K, Royal Mint (Freeman 317) | |
| Mintage | Issued: unknown (included in total) | |
| Variety | Obverse 10, Reverse J, Heaton Mint (Freeman 318) | |
| Mintage | Issued: unknown (included in total) | |
| Variety | Proof, Obverse 10, Reverse J, Heaton Mint (Freeman 319) | |
| Mintage | Issued: unknown | |
| Variety | Thick flan, Obverse 10, Reverse J, Heaton Mint (Freeman 320) | |
| Mintage | Issued: unknown | |
| Source | Edition | About | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Museums Victoria Collections | 2016 | Mint | link | |
| Whitman, Guidebook of English Coins, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries | 1962 | Mint | ||
| Whitman, Guidebook of English Coins, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries | 1962 | Mintage | ||
| Whitman, Guidebook of English Coins, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries | 1962 | Varieties | Proof | |
| Freeman, Bronze Coinage of Great Britain | 1972 | Varieties |
 |
| The Definitive Guide to Australian Silver Coins |
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Currency | Pound Sterling (pre-decimal) |
| Coin Type | Halfpenny (Britannia, third design) |
| Issued | 1874 |
| Monarch | Queen Victoria |
| Effigy | Queen Victoria - Portrait by Leonard Charles Wyon (Bun Head) |
| Reverse | Britannia, Seated |
| Face Value | 1/2 (x Penny) |
| Total Mintage | 6,365,265 (6.4 million), Rarity: N (Normal) |
| Current | No; demonetised 1969 |
| Material | Bronze |
| Designer | Leonard Charles Wyon |
| Technology | Milled (machine-made) |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Coin Alignment (Axis 6) |
| Size | 25.5000 mm |
| Mass | 5.7000 g |
| OCC ID | RWKZ-EJNC-LGXR-EXGL |
Search for United Kingdom: Halfpenny 1874 on eBay  |
| Buy gold and silver bullion online! |
| Image | Details |
|---|---|
|
Coin - Halfpenny, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1874
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Justine Philip Notes: Royal Mint (no mint mark). Source |
|
Coin - Halfpenny, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1874
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Justine Philip Notes: Royal Mint. Source |
|
Coin - Halfpenny, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1874
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Justine Philip Notes: Heaton Mint (H mint mark). Source |
|
Coin - Halfpenny, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1874
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Justine Philip Notes: Heaton Mint. Source |
| Source | Reference ID |
|---|---|
| Freeman, Bronze Coinage of Great Britain | 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320 |
| Spink, Coins of England and the United Kingdom | 3956 (Royal Mint), 3957 (Heaton Mint) |
| Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins | Great Britain KM# 748.2, KM# 754 |