Great Britain 1878 farthing
This specimen was lot 20326 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (Newport Beach, CA, January 2021), where it sold for $2,880. The catalog description[1] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN. Farthing, 1878. London Mint. Victoria. PCGS PROOF-66 Red Brown Gold Shield. The single finest certified of the date on the PCGS population report, none finer. An absolutely outstanding example of the type with a needle sharp strike, frosted devices and highly lustrous fields displaying much original mint bloom. Lovely light mottled patina adds to its pleasing appearance and originality with iridescent highlights that pop out when tilted in the light. Fabulous representative such as the present piece do not appear on the market often and as such should be considered VERY RARE and highly sought after. Ex: Terner Collection (Goldbergs 5/2003) Lot # 444." In 1860, the copper farthing was superseded by a smaller bronze farthing. To mark the change, the young bust was dropped in favor of the "bun head." This type was struck until 1894. half pennies and pennies were similarly modified. The Heaton mint also struck this type 1874-76 and 1881-82.
Recorded mintage: 4,009,000 plus proofs.
Specification: 2.86 g, bronze, 20 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: S-3958; KM-753.
- Bressett, Kenneth E., A Guide Book of English Coins, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, 2nd Ed., Racine, WI: Whitman Publishing, 1962.
- Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins, 1066 to Date, London: Coincraft, 1995.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of England & the United Kingdom, 46th edition, London: Spink & Son, 2011.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The January 2021 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Oro del Nuevo Mundo and Matt Orsini Collections, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.
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