Farthing UK (Great Britain) Europe Coins: World Coins & Paper Money

Very is known of the medieval silver farthing, as very few examples of this coin survived. Only the very rich can collect this coin. It was smallest denomination so people rarely hoarded. In fact silver farthings have never been found in large hoards at all. The farthing coin was very small, and thus easily lost. Production runs were low compared to the penny and halfpenny because they were not so much used by the wealthy and powerful, but only by the common people. Additionally, the money minters didn’t make much profit on them. Given their small size, they are often missed by metal detectors of treasure seekers. For all these reasons, they are incredibly rare today.

 

In 1953 The Times published a letter saying that a bus conductor refused to accept eight farthings for a two-penny bus fare, and that a newspaper vendor had become abusive when offered six farthings for a newspaper. A subsequent letter pointed out that the farthing was still legal tender in sums up to one shilling. However, it was apparent by 1956 that inflation was basically making the farthing extinct.