Like New

lightly used with minor flaws, to be included in the description

Good

fully preloved, with noticeable flaws, to be included in the description

Fair

Farthing 1826 (First Issue), Coin from United Kingdom - 

The farthing was a small circulating coin of the British pre-decimal Pound Sterling, equal to a quarter of a penny. 
Prices were never written in farthings though - something worth a farthing would be quoted as 1/4d ("d" being the abbreviation for "penny", from the Roman "denarius"). There were 20 shillings to a pound, 12 pence to a shilling and 4 farthings to a penny, so 960 of these coins made up £1.

In 1801 the parliaments of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland each passed an Act of Union, uniting the two 
kingdoms and creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Re-coinage followed in 1806; there was a 
short-lived farthing format with larger coins with concave surfaces struck by the Soho Mint but it was only issued 
for two years.

After 1807, no farthing coins were issued until 1821, when this smaller version with a new-look Britannia and 
traditional flat surfaces was introduced; these coins were struck by the Royal Mint. Between 1821 and 1826, the 
First Issue of King George IV had an ornate Britannia reverse designed by William Wyon, chief engraver of the 
Royal Mint, and a portrait of the monarch by Benedetto Pistrucci; this version was only issued on farhings, unlike 
the other designs which had parallel issues in the halfpenny and penny denominations too. The king did not find 
the portrait satisfactory though, so it was re-designed by William Wyon in 1825 for the other denominations, with 
the new portrait and a simplified Britannia reverse introduced on the farthings from 1826.

This latter design is the same as that of the one penny, half penny and half farthing coins minted in the same 
years; coins of the four denominations look identical - the difference is only in size. Typically for British 
coinage of the time, the denomination (or, indeed, the country of issue) is not spelled out on the coin.

All these farthings were minted in copper, but after 1860 the denomination changed to bronze with an even smaller size; all British copper coinage was demonetised after 31 December 1869.

The obverse of the coin depicts, within a beaded border, the laureate and draped bust of King George IV facing 
left, as designed by Benedetto Pistrucci.
The monarch's head is adorned by a laurel wreath, with a tie displaying loop and two ends; his hair is short and 
the neck is bare; his tunic is held by a circular brooch.
Around, part of the monarch's legend: GEORGIUS IIII DEI GRATIA. (note the stop after GRATIA, and 
the non-standard Roman numeral IIII for the number 4). Translated from Latin: George the Fourth, by the Grace of God.

The reverse of the coin shows, within a beaded border, the figure of Britannia - the female personification of 
Great Britain - seated facing right, wearing a Corinthian helmet pushed back to reveal her face, resting her 
right hand - which is holding an olive branch - on a shield bearing a saltire of arms, and holding a trident 
in her left hand.
There is a lion reclining on her left side (only his head is visible in front of her left leg).
Around, the rest of the monarch's legend: BRITANNIAR: REX FID: DEF:. Translated from Latin: King of Britain, 
Defender of the Faith.

In the exergue, the date of issue 1826.

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