Farthing

If you collect rare British Farthing coins then you’re in the right place. Here we have collected the very best British coins for sale and also auctions from around the world all in one place, all on one page so you can easily add to your British coin collection. Farthings are a quirky British coin and were worth slightly more than a sixpence.

What is a farthing

A farthing (derived from the Anglo-Saxon feorthing, a fourthling or fourth part) was an English coin worth one quarter of a penny, or 1/960 of a pound sterling. They were first minted in England in the 13th century, and continued to be used until 31 December 1960, when they ceased to be legal tender.

Early examples were silver, but surviving examples are rare because they were infrequently stored. The first copper farthings were issued during the reign of King James I, who gave a licence for minting to John Harington, 1st Baron Harington of Exton. Licences were subsequently given out until after the Commonwealth, when the Royal Mint resumed production in 1672. Many modern farthings are fairly common and easy to find. They have always been an attractive coin and modern farthings featured an imprint of the bird with which they share their name.

There is something quintissentially British about the farthing, it is one of those coins that is always popular with coin collectors from overseas as well that British coin collectors. Farthings also often pop up in antique fairs and junk shops and along with common worn pennies and ha’pennies, are not generally expensive to collect. Needless to say, fine old and medieval examples obviously are very valuable and can see for a lot of money as you will see below no doubt.

Rare Farthing coins for sale

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