Background
Victoria was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, the fourth son of King George III. Both the Duke of Kent and King George III died in 1820.
- She inherited the British throne at the age of 18, after her father’s three elder brothers had all died, leaving no surviving legitimate children.
Victoria was raised under close supervision by her German-born mother, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1840.
- Their nine children married into royal and noble families across the continent.
- This led to the sobriquet “the grandmother of Europe”
Victorian Copper Farthings
- Edge: Plain
- Border: Teeth, and the teeth sit inside a narrow raised rim.
- Diameter: 22mm
- Weight: 4.55-4.9g
- Designer: William Wyon
1844 GB & Ireland copper farthing (Victoria)
Obverse: Young Head
- Victoria’s head and neck undraped facing left.
- The hair is bound with a double ribbon, and gathered behind in a knot with a long loose curl hanging down.
- The engraver’s initials W.W. (William Wyon) are raised, and are located below the neck.
- The legend which reads “VICTORIA DEI GRATIA:” almost encircles the bust
- Translation: “Victoria by the Grace of God”
Reverse:
- Britannia seated facing right, with long flowing robes and scaled breastplate, wearing a plumed helmet. In her raised left hand is a trident, and her right hand rests on an oval shield bearing the crosses of the Union Flag.
- The legend which reads “BRITANNIAR: REG: FID: DEF:” almost encircles the bust.
- Translation: “Queen of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith”
- In exergue is a rose, shamrock and thistle with their stems crossed.
1838-1860 Victoria copper farthing mintages, varieties & market values
Errors & Varieties:
1838 farthing – DEF + full stop variety
1839 farthing – 2-prong trident variety
1842 farthing – large 42 in date variety
1850 farthing – 5 over 5 in date variety
1850 farthing – 5 over 7 in date variety
1851 farthing – D over sideways D variety
1851 farthing – Roman I in date variety
1851 farthing – wide date variety (10 teeth wide)
1852 farthing – small 2 in date variety
1853 farthing – raised 3 in date variety
Other farthing coins in this series
- Fractional Farthings
- O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Quarter-Farthings
- O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Third-Farthings
- O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Half-Farthings
- Farthing (¼d)
- Copper Farthings
- O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Copper Farthings of George IV
- O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Copper Farthings of William IV
- O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Copper Farthings of Victoria
- Bronze Farthings
- O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Bronze Farthings of Victoria
- O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Bronze Farthings of Edward VII
- O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Bronze Farthings of George V
- O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Northern Ireland Bronze Farthings of George VI
- O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Northern Ireland Bronze Farthings of Elizabeth II
- Copper Farthings
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