Is a 1/3 Farthing a coin of Britain or Malta? I've looked up some info and I guess it just depends how you look at it, just curious on what to write on my 2 x 2 holder its going in. Thanks for any info.
Dopeuser,the 1/3 Farthing is a British coin,but it was used solely in Malta.Malta has only had their own coins since 1972.The 1902 & 1913 1/3 Farthings are type coins,as they were the only ones issued during the reigns of King Edward VII (1901-10) & King George V (1910-36). Aidan.
Jello_g,the 1/3 Farthing was 1/12 of the British pre-decimal Penny,which is why it is regarded as being a strange denomination. There were 4 Farthings in 1 Penny (1d.),12 Pence in 1 Shilling (1/-),& 20 Shillings in 1 Pound. Aidan.
Acanthite,Jello_g is a Canadian.He doesn't understand how the British pre-decimal currency system worked,as Canada has had decimal currency since 1858.New Zealand has had decimal currency since 1967. Aidan.
No offense intended, I also grapple with such divisions of currency, sometimes it is useful to see it in terms of minutes or tablespoons/cups/quarts/gallons. All I can say is good thing the French came along with SI...
Russia was actually the first country to introduce a decimal currency - during the reign of Czar Peter I,the Great. Aidan.
Yep, then Sierra Leone was the second (1791), and the United States was third (1792). Don't know who was #4. (Many histories incorrectly credit the US with being the first country with a decimal coinage.)
This article on Coinbooks.org states that there is some question as to whether Russia's decimal coins were in fact a true decimal system: Bob Neale writes: "Regarding the question of who first developed a decimal coinage system, I believe that the key word here is "system." As I understand it, the Russian precursor to Jefferson's proposal did include a couple of decimally-related coins, but there were nondecimal coins as well. The Russians therefore did not have a system as we understand the term.They certainly claim credit for it but It actually was semi-accidental. Don't ask me,I have no idea. BUT..Sierra Leone (Company) did mint cents in 1791,one year before the US went decimal.Here's the proof: SO,in conclusion :goofer: if you accept the above Russia-bashing statements,and the fact that Sierra Leone Co.was not in fact a country (a la East India Co.) until 1808,then the U.S. was the first country to have a true decimal coinage system........or not.
