As a teenager, many years ago, I started collecting farthings as that was a far as my limited pocket money would allow. All low grade, purchased blind from unillustrated printed lists. I still have those coins in my collection but recently and almost 50 years later I decided that I could add a small number to them. Here are some of my more recent additions. No doubt there are other farthing collectors out there... George III - Farthing Obv:- GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA REX 1799. Laureate and draped bust of George III facing right. Rev:- BRITANNIA. 1 . FARTHING, small tudor rose and thistle at either side, in exergue. Britannia seated facing left, holding olive branch and trident, small ship in left background; mint-mark SOHO below shield. George III - Farthing Obv:- GEORGIUS III·D:G·REX., Laureate, draped bust head right Rev:- BRITTANIA, Seated figure of Britannia facing left, trident in left hand, shield with Union flag resting on left, olive branch in raised right hand, legend above, sea behind with ship on left Date:- 1806 William IV - Farthing Obv:- GULIELMUS IIII DEI GRATIA, Bare head right Rev:- BRITANNIAR: REX FID: DEF: Seated figure of Britannia facing right, trident in left hand, shield with Union flag in right, legend around, national flower emblems in exergue Date:- 1837
Very nice! Currently I think I have just one farthing: UNITED KINGDOM Time of Victoria, 1837-1901 CU Farthing (20.0mm, 2.83g, 12h) Dated 1890. Royal mint, London Obverse: VICTORIA D:G: BRITT:REG:F:, laureate and draped bust of Queen Victoria left Reverse: Seated figure of Britannia facing right, holding trident in left hand and shield with Union flag in right; sea behind with lighthouse on left and ship on right; FARTHING above, date in exergue References: Numista 1013 Mintage: 2,133,000 In NGC encapsulation, graded MS 65 RB. Bright lustrous surfaces. From the Crichel House Cache, “Raindrop Race Wager.” In 1890 two friends were sitting inside the stately Crichel House in Dorset one rainy day. Noticing the raindrops sliding down the glass window panes, they each chose a drop and made a bet of £5 on which one would reach the bottom of the window first. The loser, disgruntled, decided to make things as inconvenient as possible and withdrew from the bank his £5 payment in farthings, the lowest value denomination, which amounted to 4,800 coins. The farthings were brand new, fresh from the mint, and wrapped in rolls of paper. The winner of the bet stored them away, still wrapped, where they sat undisturbed for more than 120 years until they were brought to auction. The entire collection sold for £63,440.
I love farthings and I have examples of all dates from 1672 to 1956, bar a few of the Tin issues in the late 17th century! A few examples to be going on with:
