Great Britain 1937 farthing
This specimen was lot 21235 in Heritage sale 3010 (Boston, August 2010), where it sold for $747.50. The catalog description[1] noted,
"George VI Matte Proof Farthing 1937, Wren design, Matte PF64 RB NGC, an important rarity, unlisted in Matte form in Spink, whereas that veritable reference does list the silver Mattes. First appearance in one of our auctions. Surfaces are nearly as struck, slight verdigris here and there, color a russet brown; texture of the proofing process is a finely granular look as imparted by the dies, which it is believed were sand-blasted regular proof dies as used for the brilliant strikes, most likely at the very end of production or possibly post 1937 as an experiment. It is well known that the Royal Mint tried various times from 1902 through the 1950s to produce Matte Proofs, the results never popular with UK collectors. Their finest moment came initially, as the quality of the standard 1902 Matte Proof coins was never bettered. This is a major modern rarity. Our estimate is a sheer guess and should be exceeded if even two collectors recognize the importance of this lot."
This type was struck 1937-48 in substantial quantities and all dates are common tho proofs are rare. The farthing was terminated in 1956.
Recorded mintage: 8,131,000 plus a few proofs.
Specification: 2.28 g, bronze, 20 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: S.4116, KM 843.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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.
- [1]Tucker, Warren, Scott Cordry and John Kraljevich, Heritage Sale 3010: World Coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2010.
Link to:
- 1937 half penny
- 1937 penny
- 1937 pattern threepence, Edward VIII
- 1937 brass 3 pence
- 1937 silver 3 pence
- 1937 shilling, Scottish reverse
- 1937 2 shillings
- 1937 ½ crown
- 1937 crown
- 1937 half sovereign
- 1937 sovereign
- 1937 2 pounds
- 1937 5 pounds
- 1937 pattern 5 pounds, Edward VIII
- 1946 farthing
- Coins and currency dated 1937
- return to coins of Great Britain