My Gold & Silver 1806 Farthings - Why is this?

[CartwheelTwopence]

Hello everyone,

For a while now I have had an 1806 farthing - fourth type from the SOHO mint - in my collection, coloured in silver. It is only now, as I have come across another, which is of the same date but from Ireland, that I wonder why this is? I have enclosed pictures and have thought of a few possible reasons:

They could have been coloured to pass as other coins, such as sixpences or half guineas?

They may have been coloured afterwards to be put on jewelry?

It may have been accidentally done by the mint?

Something to bear in mind though with both is that they look nothing like any other coins and certainly did not fool me when buying them; a sixpence has never had "Britannia" on it! Also, in Ireland as far as I am aware, gold coins were never issued so there would be no need to try passing a farthing as a half guinea.

I am also looking to, if possible, get rid of the colouring. If anyone has done this before, and more importantly if it is safe, then please let me know.

Thank you.

[scott]

the silvered one has a possible drilling attempt at the top on the reverse, so probably to make jewelery

[Peckris]

Yes, I have two George IV first issue farthings, both in high grade, but both artificially gilded. One is a flat yellow colour, the other is rather attractively 'lustred' with the 'lustre' wearing away.

Either they are contemporary which means an attempt to pass them off as half sovs, or else they are more modern in an effort to convince collectors they are rare gilded proofs. Waste of a good coin, is my opinion.

[CartwheelTwopence]

Thank you, and yes, I agree. I would have bought them at a lower grade - even of fair - if they didn't have the colouring on them!

[Peckris]

Thank you, and yes, I agree. I would have bought them at a lower grade - even of fair - if they didn't have the colouring on them!

They're still worth having - I've tentatively valued mine (conservatively?) at around a quarter of book price.

[Colin G.]

Something to bear in mind though with both is that they look nothing like any other coins and certainly did not fool me when buying them; a sixpence has never had "Britannia" on it! Also, in Ireland as far as I am aware, gold coins were never issued so there would be no need to try passing a farthing as a half guinea.

You do have to remember that at the time, there had been a big change in the currency that was being issued, and it was probably an easier time to fool someone who may have been unfamiliar with the newer currency. However I believe that most of these were just done as experimentation, curiosity, craft etc.