Farthing (British coin)

A farthing was a British coin worth one quarter penny. The noun comes from Old English fēorþing / fēorþung ( fēorþa ing / reversal = " Ting Four / Four Tung " [ a fourth ]; cf. arrangement " fjórðungr ."). This coin was minted in England from the 13th century until 1956 and was until December 31, 1960 valid means of payment. Already in the years before became more frequent press reports that shops refused to accept Farthings as payment.

Although several million farthings were minted in the course of 700 years, relatively few have survived until today. The oldest coins found date from the reign of Henry III. , Probably it is with them but only to first embossing tests and not really for payments imaginary coins.

Until the 16th century the farthing was minted from silver. Since, however, were several reductions in weight, he was so small and so so easy to lose in the 16th century that the coinage was suspended for several decades. James I turned to copper coinage. The last pieces were eventually made ​​of bronze. The new introduced with the currency reform of 1971 British Penny has almost the same dimensions as the last farthing. At times there were in the early 19th century, quarter, third and half Farthings as coin of copper. A well last Halffarthing was coined in 1902 as the "Coronation Model" ( ejection coin) for King Edward VII.