Ireland 1744 farthing
This specimen was lot 34514 in Heritage sale 3067 (Long Beach, September 2018), where it sold for $1,020. The catalog description[1] noted, "Ireland: George II Farthing 1744 MS65 Brown NGC. A fantastic master-strike of a coin. With boldly pronounced devices, unbelievable near-prooflike fields, and a decadent tone that flares with cobalt and russet highlights this piece is not only by far the finest graded listed by NGC but quite possibly extant." As the Royal Mint in London could not keep up with the demand for English coinage, it is not surprising that issues for Ireland are scanty and few. During George II's reign, farthings were issued 1737-38, 1744 and 1760 along with half pennies. The English farthing was 4.93 g, 23 mm diameter.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 4.36 g, copper, 22.7 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM 131.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of the Coins of Scotland, Ireland, Channel Islands & Isle of Man, London: Coincraft, 1999.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of Scotland, Ireland and the Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Man & Lundy), Pre-Decimal Issues, 2nd edition, London: Spink & Son, 2003.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2018 September 6-11 Long Beach Expo World Coins & Ancient Coins Signature Auction #3067, Dallas: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2018.
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