Great Britain 1685 farthing
This specimen was lot 31583 in Heritage sale 3067 (Long Beach, September 2018), where it sold for $4,080. The catalog description[1] noted, "Great Britain: James II tin Farthing 1685 MS61 NGC. An exceptionally difficult type to obtain in Mint State due to the reactivity of the metal, this superb specimen exhibits a definitive strike, very little corrosion whatsoever and residual luster in abundance across the planchet. Simply superb, one of the finest this cataloger has seen. The most recent example we have handled was certified as MS60 NGC and realized $2,350 in our January 2017 New York sale." This type of 1685-87 is not rare but very scarce in collectible condition. The alloy, chosen to promote the product of Cornish tin mines, was a disaster as a coin, corroding very rapidly. British authorities demonstrated their inability to learn from their mistake by persisting in the production of tin farthings and halfpennies until 1692. A few farthings with the bust of the recently deceased Charles II are known to exist.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: tin with a copper plug.
Catalog reference: KM 447, S-3420.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins, 1066 to Date, London: Coincraft, 1995.
- Freeman, Michael J., The Bronze Coinage of Great Britain, Rev. Ed., London: Spink & Son, 2006.
- Peck, C. Wilson, English Copper, Tin and Bronze Coins in the British Museum, 1558-1958, 2nd Ed., London: Oxford University Press, 1970.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of England & the United Kingdom, 46th edition, London: Spink & Son, 2011.
- [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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