Location | United Kingdom (United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) ![]() |
---|---|
Issuing entity | The Royal Mint |
Queen | Victoria (1837-1901) |
Type | Standard circulation coin |
Years | 1874-1895 |
Value | 1 Farthing (1⁄960) |
Currency | Pound sterling (1158-1970) |
Composition | Bronze |
Weight | 2.83 g |
Diameter | 20 mm |
Thickness | 1.3 mm |
Shape | Round |
Technique | Milled |
Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
Demonetized | 31 December 1960 |
Number | N# 1013 |
References | KM# 753, Sp# 3958/9 |
Second laureate portrait ('Bun Head') of Queen Victoria facing left, legend around.
Script: Latin
Lettering: VICTORIA D:G: BRITT:REG:F:D:
Unabridged legend: Victoria Dei Gratia Britanniarum Regina Fidei Defensatrix
Translation: Victoria by the Grace of God Queen of the Britains Defender of the Faith
Engraver: Leonard Charles Wyon
Seated figure of Britannia facing right, trident in left hand, shield with Union flag in right hand, denomination above, date in exergue, sea behind with lighthouse on left and ship on right.
Note: mintmark (if present) below date
Script: Latin
Lettering:
F A R T H I N G
1874
H
Engraver: Leonard Charles Wyon
Plain
Heaton and Sons / The Mint Birmingham Limited, United Kingdom (1850-2003) | |
Royal Mint (Tower Hill), London, United Kingdom (1810-1975) |
The denomination 'farthing' originated from 'four-thing' as four of them totalled one penny.
The original weight of these pieces was 160 to the pound avoirdupois (1/10 ounce or 43.75 grains).
Mintmark variety:
Sp#3958 no mintmark below date - struck at the Royal Mint, Tower Hill, London.
Sp#3959 'H' mintmark below date - struck at Ralph Heaton & Sons, Birmingham.
All Royal Mint coins 1875-78 have a 'R' with a forked tail; the Heaton issues do not. Consequently, an 1875 with a forked 'R' might well be an 1875H with the 'H' removed to increase its value.