Farthing varieties

[Kronos]

Can anyone supply me with a complete list of the variety’s of farthings. On the Aboutfarthings web site they say 138 dates with 414 varieties to collect. I have checked the CCGB and they list about 183 varieties. This little coin has recently captured my imagination and I would like to find out as much as possible about this coin.

[Colin G.]

Can anyone supply me with a complete list of the variety’s of farthings. On the Aboutfarthings web site they say 138 dates with 414 varieties to collect. I have checked the CCGB and they list about 183 varieties. This little coin has recently captured my imagination and I would like to find out as much as possible about this coin.

Kronos,

The question you have asked is a bit open ended. I don't think there will ever be a definitive list of farthing varieties. The main varieties that are "known" are captured within CCGB.

My site goes into things a bit deeper, but many of the varieties are not "well known" varieties, and many would even question whether they are worth recording. My area of collecting is farthings, and I enjoy studying the lesser known varieties, and recording anomolies that I find. For me it shows the "human" aspect of coin production and the errors that can occur in this process.

My site is constantly expanding, and it seems to be a never ending process

It is a case of there still being plenty of areas still to be studied with these wonderful little coins, and in my opinion the more people involved the better. Feel free to contribute

[scott]

yea, the site covers the reverse types, as well as some unlisted overstrikes. i posted one yesterday thats not listed on the site, in unconfirmed, the obverse is... the reverse isn't

[Peckris]

Can anyone supply me with a complete list of the variety’s of farthings. On the Aboutfarthings web site they say 138 dates with 414 varieties to collect. I have checked the CCGB and they list about 183 varieties. This little coin has recently captured my imagination and I would like to find out as much as possible about this coin.

Unless I've not kept up with some of the rarer varieties, I'd say that all 20th Century currency farthings are easy to come by, bar two :

The 2+A 1953 pairing (especially the proof) - the 1+B is quite easy

The 1915 'TT', Obverse 1.

I have no real idea of the relative scarcity of the 1953 2+A, but I do know the 1915 is exceptionally rare.

It's when you get to the Victorian bun and copper series that it really gets interesting.

[Colin G.]

Can anyone supply me with a complete list of the variety’s of farthings. On the Aboutfarthings web site they say 138 dates with 414 varieties to collect. I have checked the CCGB and they list about 183 varieties. This little coin has recently captured my imagination and I would like to find out as much as possible about this coin.

Unless I've not kept up with some of the rarer varieties, I'd say that all 20th Century currency farthings are easy to come by, bar two :

The 2+A 1953 pairing (especially the proof) - the 1+B is quite easy

The 1915 'TT', Obverse 1.

I have no real idea of the relative scarcity of the 1953 2+A, but I do know the 1915 is exceptionally rare.

It's when you get to the Victorian bun and copper series that it really gets interesting.

The different TT obverses are applicable to 1914 and 1915, there is also the 1911 hollow neck/normal neck versions, and you could possibly include the 1917 bright/dark finish.

Other than coins that escaped the artificial darkening that about sums it up for the 20th century farthings at the moment

Edited November 6, 2009 by Colin G.

[scott]

dont forget the 2 variants of 1954 and 55 in freeman

[Peter]

Can anyone supply me with a complete list of the variety’s of farthings. On the Aboutfarthings web site they say 138 dates with 414 varieties to collect. I have checked the CCGB and they list about 183 varieties. This little coin has recently captured my imagination and I would like to find out as much as possible about this coin.

Unless I've not kept up with some of the rarer varieties, I'd say that all 20th Century currency farthings are easy to come by, bar two :

The 2+A 1953 pairing (especially the proof) - the 1+B is quite easy

The 1915 'TT', Obverse 1.

I have no real idea of the relative scarcity of the 1953 2+A, but I do know the 1915 is exceptionally rare.

It's when you get to the Victorian bun and copper series that it really gets interesting.

The different TT obverses are applicable to 1914 and 1915, there is also the 1911 hollow neck/normal neck versions, and you could possibly include the 1917 bright/dark finish.

Other than coins that escaped the artificial darkening that about sums it up for the 20th century farthings at the moment

Isn't it 1918 with the bright/dark finish ?

[DaveG38]

dont forget the 2 variants of 1954 and 55 in freeman

I can't see any reference to varieties of the 1954 and 1955 farthings in Freeman??????

[Colin G.]

Can anyone supply me with a complete list of the variety’s of farthings. On the Aboutfarthings web site they say 138 dates with 414 varieties to collect. I have checked the CCGB and they list about 183 varieties. This little coin has recently captured my imagination and I would like to find out as much as possible about this coin.

Unless I've not kept up with some of the rarer varieties, I'd say that all 20th Century currency farthings are easy to come by, bar two :

The 2+A 1953 pairing (especially the proof) - the 1+B is quite easy

The 1915 'TT', Obverse 1.

I have no real idea of the relative scarcity of the 1953 2+A, but I do know the 1915 is exceptionally rare.

It's when you get to the Victorian bun and copper series that it really gets interesting.

The different TT obverses are applicable to 1914 and 1915, there is also the 1911 hollow neck/normal neck versions, and you could possibly include the 1917 bright/dark finish.

Other than coins that escaped the artificial darkening that about sums it up for the 20th century farthings at the moment

Isn't it 1918 with the bright/dark finish ?

Ooops typo

[scott]

dont forget the 2 variants of 1954 and 55 in freeman

I can't see any reference to varieties of the 1954 and 1955 farthings in Freeman??????

CCGB has

1954 665

1955 667

1956 669

and i know of the 2 ruim thicknesses in 1954

[DaveG38]

dont forget the 2 variants of 1954 and 55 in freeman

I can't see any reference to varieties of the 1954 and 1955 farthings in Freeman??????

CCGB has

1954 665

1955 667

1956 669

and i know of the 2 ruim thicknesses in 1954

I don't wish to be pedantic, but I don't think that Freeman mentions any varieties for the 1954 or 1955 farthings. The rim thickness types for 1954 were mentioned recently on this forum, but I can't see any reference to any 1955 varieties. Can you say what the identifiers are?

[scott]

i cant say, i dont have freeman but there are gaps seem to be there, which means there are 2 listed in FMAN for both 54 and 55, i never knew about the extra 55 but i think freeman does have the 2 rim thickness' listed.

[DaveG38]

i cant say, i dont have freeman but there are gaps seem to be there, which means there are 2 listed in FMAN for both 54 and 55, i never knew about the extra 55 but i think freeman does have the 2 rim thickness' listed.

Ah, I see what you are getting at. The gaps you are referring to in the Freeman number scheme are the special bronze proofs for those years. For me, these are not strictly varieties but different strike qualities using different dies for the same year.

[Peckris]

The different TT obverses are applicable to 1914 and 1915, there is also the 1911 hollow neck/normal neck versions, and you could possibly include the 1917 bright/dark finish.

Other than coins that escaped the artificial darkening that about sums it up for the 20th century farthings at the moment

I knew about the two versions of 1914, but neither is rare. Nor is the dark 1918 (merely scarce-ish), and the two 1911s are about even too.

i cant say, i dont have freeman but there are gaps seem to be there, which means there are 2 listed in FMAN for both 54 and 55, i never knew about the extra 55 but i think freeman does have the 2 rim thickness' listed.

I only have Freeman's 1st edition, and there are no varieties of 1954 and 1955 listed. I think (not 100% positive) that all 1954s have the wide rim and all 1955s have the narrow rim. Effectively they are two different reverses, but only in the sense that every Ship halfpenny year is also a different reverse, which excites no-one, probably not even Freeman who had the drudge of measuring and listing every damn one, poor fellow.

[Kronos]

Kronos,

The question you have asked is a bit open ended. I don't think there will ever be a definitive list of farthing varieties. The main varieties that are "known" are captured within CCGB.

My site goes into things a bit deeper, but many of the varieties are not "well known" varieties, and many would even question whether they are worth recording. My area of collecting is farthings, and I enjoy studying the lesser known varieties, and recording anomolies that I find. For me it shows the "human" aspect of coin production and the errors that can occur in this process.

My site is constantly expanding, and it seems to be a never ending process

It is a case of there still being plenty of areas still to be studied with these wonderful little coins, and in my opinion the more people involved the better. Feel free to contribute

Thanks Colin

I took all of the variety data from your website and input it into a spreadsheet for my quick reference, I hope you don’t mind. I didn’t realise your website was so detailed with so much information, it’s a credit to you.

[Peter]

Kronos,

The question you have asked is a bit open ended. I don't think there will ever be a definitive list of farthing varieties. The main varieties that are "known" are captured within CCGB.

My site goes into things a bit deeper, but many of the varieties are not "well known" varieties, and many would even question whether they are worth recording. My area of collecting is farthings, and I enjoy studying the lesser known varieties, and recording anomolies that I find. For me it shows the "human" aspect of coin production and the errors that can occur in this process.

My site is constantly expanding, and it seems to be a never ending process

It is a case of there still being plenty of areas still to be studied with these wonderful little coins, and in my opinion the more people involved the better. Feel free to contribute

Thanks Colin

I took all of the variety data from your website and input it into a spreadsheet for my quick reference, I hope you don’t mind. I didn’t realise your website was so detailed with so much information, it’s a credit to you.

I will second that although I have completed my currency copper farthings from 1672.....the collection is still growing