when did the farthing coin go out of circulation
1960
1719553
Farthing (British coin) The British farthing (d) coin, from "fourthing", was a unit of currency of one quarter of a penny, or of a pound sterling. It was minted in bronze, and replaced the earlier copper farthings. It was used during the reign of six monarchs: Victoria, Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI and Elizabeth II, ceasing to be legal tender in 1960. It featured two different designs on its reverse during its 100 years in circulation: from 1860 until 1936, the image of Britannia; and from 1937 onwards, the image of a wren. Like all British coinage,
Farthing (British coin)
1719553
Farthing (British coin) The British farthing (d) coin, from "fourthing", was a unit of currency of one quarter of a penny, or of a pound sterling. It was minted in bronze, and replaced the earlier copper farthings. It was used during the reign of six monarchs: Victoria, Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI and Elizabeth II, ceasing to be legal tender in 1960. It featured two different designs on its reverse during its 100 years in circulation: from 1860 until 1936, the image of Britannia; and from 1937 onwards, the image of a wren. Like all British coinage,
Farthing (British coin)
1719560
all Britain defender of the faith) in 1953, and (Elizabeth II by the grace of God queen defender of the faith) thereafter. Farthing (British coin) The British farthing (d) coin, from "fourthing", was a unit of currency of one quarter of a penny, or of a pound sterling. It was minted in bronze, and replaced the earlier copper farthings. It was used during the reign of six monarchs: Victoria, Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI and Elizabeth II, ceasing to be legal tender in 1960. It featured two different designs on its reverse during its 100 years in
Farthing (British coin)
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and elevenpence farthing". The purchasing power of a farthing from 1860 to its demise in 1960 ranged between 2p to 12p (in 2017 GB Pound values). The original reverse of the coin, designed by Leonard Charles Wyon, is a seated Britannia, holding a trident, with the word above. Issues before 1895 also feature a lighthouse to Britannia's left and a ship to her right. Various minor adjustments to the level of the sea depicted around Britannia, and the angle of her trident were also made over the years. Some issues feature toothed edges, while others feature beading. Over the years,
Farthing (British coin)
1937618
d), halfpenny and penny. During the First World War, production of the sovereign and half-sovereign was suspended, and although the gold standard was later restored, the coins saw little circulation thereafter. In 1920, the silver standard, maintained at .925 since 1552, was reduced to .500. In 1937, a nickel-brass 3d coin was introduced; the last silver 3d coins were issued seven years later. In 1947, the remaining silver coins were replaced with cupro-nickel, with the exception of Maundy coinage which was then restored to .925. Inflation caused the farthing to cease production in 1956 and be demonetised in 1960. In
Pound sterling
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tender after 31 December 1960. History of the British farthing The British farthing (derived from the Anglo-Saxon "feorthing", a "fourthling" or "fourth part") was a British coin worth a quarter of an old penny ( of a pound sterling). It ceased to be struck after 1956 and was demonetised from 1 January 1961. The British farthing is a continuation of the English farthing, struck by English monarchs prior to the Act of Union 1707, which unified the crowns of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain. Only pattern farthings were struck under Queen Anne as there was a
History of the British farthing
1627568
Third farthing The third farthing was a British coin ( of a penny, of a pound) which was produced in various years between 1827 and 1913. The coin was produced in 1827 exclusively for use in Malta, but it is considered to be part of the British coinage as at that time Malta was considered more as a part of Britain than a colony. The farthing coin was already in circulation in Malta, as a 3 grani coin, and the third farthing was introduced as 1 grano. A proclamation issued in Malta on 3 November 1827 legalised the new coins,
Third farthing
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Farthing (Irish coin) The farthing (d) () was the lowest value coin of the pre-decimal Irish pound, worth a quarter of a penny, of a shilling or of a pound. The coin had lost much of its value through inflation long before decimalisation in 1971, and during the 1960s no farthings were produced for general circulation; those minted in 1966 were produced for collectors' sets. The coins officially measured in diameter and weighed 2.83495 grams. The bronze coin is (was) made up of 95.5% copper, 3% tin and 1.5% zinc. It was introduced in 1928 to replace the British farthing
Farthing (Irish coin)
1627576
have a purchasing power of between 3p and 4p (£0.03 to £0.04). Quarter farthing The British quarter farthing (d) coin was a unit of currency equaling one sixteenth of a penny ( of a pound sterling). It was produced for circulation in Ceylon in various years between 1839 and 1853, with proof coins being produced in 1868. It is the smallest denomination of pound sterling coin ever minted. The coin is considered to be part of British coinage because it has no indication of what country it was minted for, being made in the same style as the contemporary half-farthing
Quarter farthing
1627573
Quarter farthing The British quarter farthing (d) coin was a unit of currency equaling one sixteenth of a penny ( of a pound sterling). It was produced for circulation in Ceylon in various years between 1839 and 1853, with proof coins being produced in 1868. It is the smallest denomination of pound sterling coin ever minted. The coin is considered to be part of British coinage because it has no indication of what country it was minted for, being made in the same style as the contemporary half-farthing which was legal tender in Britain between 1842 and 1869. Before Decimal
Quarter farthing
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17th century under James I of England. Britannia first appeared on the coin in 1672, under Charles II. Issuance of farthings had not been necessary during most of the reign of Queen Anne (1701–1714) due to a surplus of English farthings, which continued in circulation. But beginning in 1713, there was a shortage of copper coin (the halfpenny and farthing). The Royal Mint planned to issue farthings in 1714, but this was thwarted by the death of the Queen that year. The 1714 farthing, weighing 4.8–5.8 grams and of 21–22 millimetres diameter, is deemed a pattern. It contained about a
History of the British farthing
515577
the Netherlands, consisting of the "gulden" (G), "stuiver" (s; G) and "duit", (d; s or G). In the years just prior to decimalisation, the circulating British coins were: The farthing (d) had been demonetised on 1 January 1961, while the crown (5/-) was issued periodically as a commemorative coin but rarely found in circulation. The crown, half crown, florin, shilling, and sixpence were cupronickel coins (in historical times silver or silver alloy); the penny, halfpenny, and farthing were bronze; and the threepence was a twelve-sided nickel-brass coin (historically it was a small silver coin). Some of the pre-decimalisation coins with
Coins of the pound sterling
1629435
and 1996 to celebrate special occasions. Although legal tender, these coins have never been common in everyday circulation. As of March 2014 there were an estimated 417 million £2 coins in circulation with an estimated face value of £834 million. The original reverse of the coin, designed by Bruce Rushin, is an abstract design symbolising the history of technological achievement, accompanied by the words above, and the year of minting below. This was the first bi-metallic coin to be produced for circulation in Britain since the tin farthing with a copper plug produced in 1692, and is the highest denomination
Two pounds (British coin)
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Baron Harington of Exton. Licences were subsequently given out until after the Commonwealth, when the Royal Mint resumed production in 1672. In the late 17th century the English farthing was also minted in tin. For later farthings, minted in the 18th century and for use in Scotland as well as in England and Wales, and in the 19th and 20th centuries for use in Great Britain and Ireland, see Farthing (British coin). Little is known of the medieval silver farthing, for few remain. As the smallest denomination, it was rarely hoardedsilver farthings have never been found in large hoardsand as
Farthing (English coin)
16958245
no farthings were issued by the government, although Pattern Farthings were produced. Huge quantities of private tokens were issued in this period by small traders or towns to satisfy demand. In the early years of the reign of King Charles II (1660–1685) there was a clear need for low denomination coins to fund day-to-day purchases, witnessed by the large number of farthing tokens in circulation in the 1660s. The Mint was not ready to produce copper coins using the new machine presses until 1672, when a Royal Proclamation in August 1672 decreed that halfpennies and farthings would be issued, and
Farthing (English coin)
1859406
detect lightweight counterfeits. Küchler also designed proportionate halfpennies and farthings; these were not authorised by the proclamation, and though pattern pieces were struck, they never officially entered circulation. The halfpenny measured ten to a foot, the farthing 12 to a foot. The coins were nicknamed "cartwheels", both because of the size of the twopenny coin and in reference to the broad rims of both denominations. The penny was the first of its denomination to be struck in copper. The cartwheel twopenny coin was not struck again; much of the mintage was melted down in 1800 when the price of copper
Matthew Boulton
1627512
made legal tender in the United Kingdom from 13 June 1842. There was much cynicism of the need for such a coin in Britain, with letters written to "The Times", but the coin did indeed circulate widely in Britain and Ceylon. The purchasing value of a penny in 1844, at 2013 purchasing power, is (at its lowest) 35p (GB pound sterling). A half-farthing, therefore (one eighth of a penny) would have had a value today (2013) of 4.375p (GB Sterling pence). Yet, as of 2014, the UK still has widely circulating coins of just 1p and 2p. The half-farthing therefore
Half farthing
1667588
current by a proclamation of 25 November 1952, effective 1 January 1953. No pennies were struck for circulation in 1953, the only extant denomination between the farthing and half crown not to see a circulation issue. This was because of the large number of pennies in circulation. Specimen sets, including the penny, were issued for the Queen's Coronation that year, with the obverse of each coin inscribed around the right-facing bust of the Queen by Mary Gillick. These were not issued for circulation, but as the specimen sets were sold for only a slight advance on face value, many were
History of the British penny (1901–1970)
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The first issues of Charles I are consequently called "Richmonds". The obverse shows two sceptres through a crown, and the legend — "Charles, by the grace of God, of Great Britain" — while the reverse shows a crowned harp and the continuing inscription — "France and Ireland, King". In 1634 another farthing patent was issued, to Henry Howard, Lord Maltravers, and Sir Francis Crane, their issues being known as "Maltravers". During this time there were vast numbers of forged farthings in circulation and the situation became unacceptable as the poor felt conned and unfairly treated by the authorities. The obverse
Farthing (English coin)
19888002
1 rin coin The was a Japanese coin worth one one-thousandth of a Japanese yen, as 1 "rin" equalled sen, and 100 sen equaled 1 yen. While not in circulation any more, one rin coins are bought and sold by numismatics for academic study, and by those with a hobby. One rin coins were minted from 1873 to 1892, but continued to circulate long after the final coins were produced. Author Walter Del Mar wrote in 1904 that at the time the rin was worth of a farthing or of an American penny. All one rin coins are made from
1 rin coin
4834595
nations (including Britain, South Africa, and Jamaica) to issue farthing coins in the 20th century. Irish farthings, like all non-current Irish coins, may be redeemed for euros at the Central Bank of Ireland in Dublin. Due to its slight value (€0.00132), several must be redeemed to have any return at all. Farthing (Irish coin) The farthing (d) () was the lowest value coin of the pre-decimal Irish pound, worth a quarter of a penny, of a shilling or of a pound. The coin had lost much of its value through inflation long before decimalisation in 1971, and during the 1960s
Farthing (Irish coin)
1703426
three-farthings coin closely resembles the three-halfpence coin, differing only in the diameter, which is 14 millimetres for an unclipped coin, compared to 16 mm for the three-halfpence. All the coins are hammered, except for the extremely rare milled three-farthings of 1563, of which only three examples are known to exist. English Three Farthing coin The silver three-farthing (d) coin was introduced in Queen Elizabeth I's third and fourth coinages (1561-1582), as part of a plan to produce large quantities of coins of varying denominations and high metal content. The obverse shows a left-facing bust of the queen, with a rose
English Three Farthing coin
1627511
Victoria, coins were minted for circulation in 1839, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1847, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, and 1856. Again they were made of copper, 18 millimetres in diameter, and weighed 2.4 grams (except for 1856, which was 2.3 grams). The design changed considerably from what went before—the obverse bears the left-facing portrait of Queen Victoria, with the inscription , while the reverse bears a crown above the words with (1839) a rose with three leaves at the bottom of the coin, or (1842 and later) a rose, thistle, and shamrock. The change in design was because the coin was additionally
Half farthing
16958250
were economising on expensescheap labour was being used, including foreigners some of whom could not spell the king's name which they were engraving on the dies. By 1698 there was a glut of copper coinage and an Act was passed to stop the coining for one year; this seems to have had little effect and the proliferation continued. There were further Parliamentary attempts to control the glut of coinage later. For later farthings, used in Scotland as well as in England and Wales, see Farthing (British coin). Farthing (English coin) A farthing (derived from the Anglo-Saxon "feorthing", a "fourthling" or
Farthing (English coin)
11991925
in October 1862. These were the last coins produced at the Quito mint. In February 1863 the mint equipment gave out and the government did not attempt to replace it. Besides, Banco de Guayaquil had no wish to continue minting: in minting 35,580 pesos, it had suffered a loss of 6,776 pesos (19%). Thus, after 1863, all Ecuadorian coin was minted abroad. To keep coin in circulation, President Gabriel García Moreno prohibited the export of coin 666 fine. The circulation of various kinds of tokens became common. Imbabura Province, in the north, was authorized to allow the free circulation of
Currency of Ecuador
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had dropped, as had commercial demand. Letters to "The Times" reflected this reality: one correspondent reported being refused when offering eight farthings to a bus conductor for a twopenny fare, and a vendor becoming abusive when offered six farthings for a newspaper. This occurred even though, as a later letter noted, the coin was still legal tender to a shilling. Demand continued to dwindle, and production of the farthing was discontinued after 1956. Eliminating the farthing from commerce also made way for a possible smaller penny and halfpenny that Royal Mint officials contemplated proposing.. The farthing ceased to be legal
History of the British farthing
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remained the same size it had been since 1826. From 1838, the farthing was struck every year of Victoria's long reign except 1870, 1871 and 1889 (the 1877 issue was only in proof and may have been made at a later date). The same obverse dies were used for the copper farthing and the sovereign and most likely were used for the gold coin first. This contributed to a high level of defects in the farthing series, but ensured that they were struck every year, as was the popular gold coin. In Victorian times, a farthing could buy three oysters,
History of the British farthing
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coin in common circulation in the UK. The coin consists of an outer yellow metal nickel-brass ring made from 76% copper, 20% zinc, and 4% nickel, and an inner steel-coloured cupro-nickel disc made from 75% copper, 25% nickel. The coin weighs and is in diameter. The design itself was first tried out in 1994 when the Royal Mint produced a short run of demonstration pieces to the new bi-metal standard. These pieces were not for circulation and were simply intended to test the manufacturing process. The coin was technically similar to the version which eventually entered circulation with the Maklouf
Two pounds (British coin)
1627572
. In 1913 a final issue of £100 worth of coins was made, bearing the left facing head of King George V with the inscription on the obverse, and the same reverse design, size and weight as before. In 2017 values, the third farthing would have a purchasing power of between 4p and 5p (£0.04 to £0.05). For other denominations, see British coinage. Third farthing The third farthing was a British coin ( of a penny, of a pound) which was produced in various years between 1827 and 1913. The coin was produced in 1827 exclusively for use in Malta,
Third farthing
1703425
English Three Farthing coin The silver three-farthing (d) coin was introduced in Queen Elizabeth I's third and fourth coinages (1561-1582), as part of a plan to produce large quantities of coins of varying denominations and high metal content. The obverse shows a left-facing bust of the queen, with a rose behind her and the legend – Elizabeth, by the grace of God a rose without a thorn – while the reverse shows the royal arms with the date above the arms and a mint mark at the beginning of the legend reading – City of London, the Tower Mint. The
English Three Farthing coin
16958225
Farthing (English coin) A farthing (derived from the Anglo-Saxon "feorthing", a "fourthling" or "fourth part") was a coin of the Kingdom of England worth one quarter of a penny, of a pound sterling. Such coins were first minted in England in silver in the 13th century, and continued to be used until the Kingdom of England was merged into the new Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. Early farthings were silver, but surviving examples are rare. The first copper farthings were issued during the reign of King James I, who gave a licence for minting them to John Harington, 1st
Farthing (English coin)
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Like all test coins, the platinum farthing has a high historic and numismatic value. This coin is also interesting because it features the portrait of the already deceased monarch George III (1738–1820). The first and only case when platinum coins were used as a regular national currency was in Russia, where coins were circulated between 1828 and 1845. These coins proved to be impractical: platinum resembles many less expensive metals, and, unlike the more malleable and ductile silver and gold, it is very difficult to work. However, merchants valued platinum coins because it did not melt in fires like gold
Platinum coin
16958244
copper, but a small "plug" of brass was inserted into part of the coin. This made the Rose farthing an early example of a bimetallic coin and also almost impossible to counterfeit, and the production of forgeries soon ended. The obverse shows two sceptres through a crown, and the legend — "Charles, by the grace of God, of Great Britain" — while the reverse shows a double rose and the continuing inscription — "France and Ireland, King". These issues have inner circles on both sides of the coin, between the legend and the design element. Under the Commonwealth of England
Farthing (English coin)
16958243
shows two sceptres through a crown, and the legend — "Charles, by the grace of God, of Great Britain" — while the reverse shows a crowned harp and the continuing inscription — "France and Ireland, King". These issues have inner circles on both sides of the coin, between the legend and the design element. Consequently, Lord Maltravers was asked to introduce a new style denomination which came to be called the "Rose farthing" — it was much smaller and thicker than the Maltravers, but the revolutionary development was the metal and construction of the coin; most of the coin was
Farthing (English coin)
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various coinages circulated, including that issued in Malta by the Knights of St John. The pound was valued at 12 "scudi" of the local currency. This exchange rate meant that the smallest Maltese coin, the "grano", was worth one third of a farthing (1 scudo = 20 tari = 240 grani). Consequently, -farthing (-penny) coins were issued for use in Malta until 1913, alongside the regular British coinage. Amongst the British colonies which used the sterling coinage, Malta was unique in having the -farthing coin. Between 1914 and 1918, wartime emergency paper money issues were made by the government. Until
Maltese lira
5479409
1936. Farthings were struck in most years of Queen Victoria's long reign. The coin continued to be issued in most years of the first half of the 20th century, and in 1937 it finally received its own reverse design, a wren. By the time the coin bore the portrait of Elizabeth II in 1953–1956, inflation had eroded its value. A fall in commercial demand also contributed to its demise. The British farthing is a continuation of the farthing series begun in silver under the English king Henry III in the 13th century and first struck in copper in the early
History of the British farthing
1627509
twenty shillings made a pound. Values less than a pound were usually written in terms of shillings and pence, e.g. forty-two pence would be three shillings and six pence (3/6), pronounced "three and six" or "three and sixpence". Values of less than a shilling were simply written in terms of pence, e.g. eight pence would be 8d. A price with a farthing in it would be written like this: (19/), pronounced "nineteen and elevenpence farthing". The coin was initially produced in 1828 for use in Ceylon, and again in 1830. The obverse of the coin bears the left-facing portrait of
Half farthing
2856851
the history of currency in the region see Currencies of the British West Indies. Coins were introduced in 1955 in denominations of , 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents, minted under the name of ""British Caribbean Territories, Eastern Group"". The , 1, and 2 cent coins were bronze and of the same weight and diameter as British Pound Sterling farthing, penny, and 1 penny coins. The 5 cents coin was brass while the 10, 25, and 50 cents were cupro-nickel. These coins remained in circulation until 1981, with the exception of the cent, which was withdrawn in 1965.
British West Indies dollar
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monopoly of the fishmongers, and broke this by enacting ordinances to open the markets to non-resident tradesmen and forbidding the wholesale purchase of fish for profit. He later applied such measures to trade in bread, ale, wine and poultry. He increased the circulation of farthings by reminting £80 into 76,000 coins, ordered bakers to make farthing measures of bread for sale, and ordered that traders, mass priests and others accept payments in the coin or give their services free. There were also moralistic ordinances made against prostitution, misrepresentation and false practices in business. A servant of Northampton's during his mayoralty
John Northampton
1937611
coin in circulation from the 8th century until the 13th century. Although some fractions of the penny were struck (see farthing and halfpenny), it was more common to find pennies cut into halves and quarters to provide smaller change. Very few gold coins were struck, with the gold penny (worth 20 silver pence) a rare example. However, in 1279, the "groat", worth 4d, was introduced, with the half groat following in 1344. 1344 also saw the establishment of a gold coinage with the introduction (after the failed gold florin) of the "noble" worth six shillings and eight pence (6/8) (i.e.
Pound sterling
19888003
a bronze alloy, and are five-eights of an inch (15.75mm) in diameter with a weight of fifteen grains (0.9g). One rin coins were eventually taken out of circulation at the end of 1953 when a new law that established one form of currency (yen) was enacted. Meiji The following are circulation figures for the "one rin coin", all of which were minted between the 6th, and 25th year of Meiji's reign. The dates all begin with the Japanese symbol 明治 (Meiji), followed by the year of his reign the coin was minted. Each coin is read clockwise from right to
1 rin coin
9078205
20 Forint coin. The 200 Forint coin was made of .500 fine silver. From 1994, mass minting of the 200 Forint coin was stopped, since the price of the metal was getting higher than the face value of the coin. However, small issues for collector purposes were minted until 1998, when both the 1992 type 100 Forint and the 200 Forint coins were withdrawn from circulation. The 1 and 2 Forint coins were withdrawn from circulation on March 1, 2008. This was announced by the Hungarian National Bank in September 2007, pointing out that the cost of minting them is
Coins of the Hungarian forint
19886881
5 rin coin The was a Japanese coin worth one two-hundredth of a Japanese yen, as 5 "rin" equalled sen, and 100 sen equaled 1 yen. This series was short lived, and succeeded the half sen coins which stopped being produced in 1888. Five rin coins were made from a copper alloy, and at 18.78mm are smaller than their predecessor. These coins were eventually taken out of circulation at the end of 1953 when a new law that established one form of currency (yen) was enacted. Taishō The following are circulation figures for the "five rin coin", all of which
5 rin coin
6940997
part of experiments on the use of platinum in coins. One of these coins has the same diameter as a farthing and a weak relief owing to the high hardness of platinum. The 1812 Pattern 9 Pence Bank Token (S3773A) was used for the obverse and the farthing of 1825 for the reverse parts of this coin. No dies were manufactured for these experiments, so expired dies of the corresponding coins were used instead. Coins minted using dies from two different coins are called mules. The coin bears the year of 1825, but was likely printed at a later date.
Platinum coin
16958241
diameter blanks, with no tin surface. They can be distinguished from the Haringtons by looking at the inscription on the obverse — on the Lennoxes the inscription starts at the top or bottom of the coin, while on the Haringtons it starts before the top of the coin. During the reign of Charles I, (1625–1649), farthings continued to be produced under the king's licence. In 1623 the Duke of Lennox had also become Duke of Richmond, but died a few months later. The farthing patent passed to his widow, Frances Stewart, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox and Sir Francis Crane.
Farthing (English coin)
5479420
Boulton was given a licence to produce halfpennies and farthings. In the meantime the price of copper had risen, and a more conventional coin was struck. The 1799 farthing broke new ground in two areas: the reverse was inscribed , the first time the name of a denomination had ever appeared on an English or British coin, and it was also the first British coin to have the date on the same side as the monarch's head. The inscription on the obverse became , and the reverse depicts a redesigned left-facing seated Britannia holding a spray and spear, with the
History of the British farthing
3758375
A Penny", "Big Hand For Annie" written by John Carter. Carter, writing under a number of different names, also had hits with Penny Farthing in the early 1970s, such as "Let's Go to San Francisco" by The Flower Pot Men. Penny Farthing Records Penny Farthing Records was a British independent record label, established by the British record producer Larry Page as a progression from his mildly successful 1960s record label, Page One Records. It did not repeat the top 20 hits of his earlier venture, but signed some artists of note. The Dutch group, Shocking Blue, had their big hit
Penny Farthing Records
5479407
History of the British farthing The British farthing (derived from the Anglo-Saxon "feorthing", a "fourthling" or "fourth part") was a British coin worth a quarter of an old penny ( of a pound sterling). It ceased to be struck after 1956 and was demonetised from 1 January 1961. The British farthing is a continuation of the English farthing, struck by English monarchs prior to the Act of Union 1707, which unified the crowns of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain. Only pattern farthings were struck under Queen Anne as there was a glut of farthings from previous
History of the British farthing
5479419
were sufficient legal farthings and halfpennies in commerce. The farthing would not be struck again by the Royal Mint until 1821. From 1775, most copper coins in circulation were counterfeit. The private sector eventually reacted, filling the gap with private tokens starting in 1787, and the Treasury awarded a contract to Matthew Boulton to strike copper coins in 1797. At his Soho Mint near Birmingham, Boulton produced the well-known Cartwheel pennies and twopences, so named for their appearance, the first official British coins struck by steam. The contract did not include producing farthings, though Boulton prepared several patterns. In 1799,
History of the British farthing
15331549
not to amend the Act to mandate phasing out the U.S. one-dollar bill. Rep. Jim Kolbe attributed the Susan B. Anthony dollar's failure to the fact that it looked and felt like the quarter and the simultaneous circulation of the dollar bill. Kolbe recommended phasing out the paper dollar, warning that the Sacagawea would face the same fate as its predecessor if the bill remained in circulation. He refuted his opponents arguments that forcing a switch from the paper dollar to the dollar coin would take away consumers' choice by declaring, "when they introduce legislation to create paper pennies, paper
United States $1 Coin Act of 1997
1627513
was not of so minuscule a value as (middle-class) writers of the day (1844) might imagine. The entire denomination was demonetised from 1 January 1870. Half farthing The British half farthing (d) coin, usually simply known as a half farthing, was a unit of currency equaling of a pound sterling, or one eighth of a penny. It was minted in copper for use in Ceylon, but in 1842 they were declared legal tender in the United Kingdom. Two different obverses were used. Like all British coinage, it bore the portrait of the monarch on the obverse. Before Decimal Day in
Half farthing
1627508
Half farthing The British half farthing (d) coin, usually simply known as a half farthing, was a unit of currency equaling of a pound sterling, or one eighth of a penny. It was minted in copper for use in Ceylon, but in 1842 they were declared legal tender in the United Kingdom. Two different obverses were used. Like all British coinage, it bore the portrait of the monarch on the obverse. Before Decimal Day in 1971 there were two hundred and forty pence in one pound sterling. There were four farthings in a penny. Twelve pence made a shilling, and
Half farthing
9607643
can go for more than $300,000 in PF-65 condition. The Half Union was never released for circulation. Some Half Unions can have a somewhat smaller or larger head than others. In 1877, famed Chief Engraver of the Mint at the time, William Barber, designed the coin. William Barber also designed several other coins, such as the "Amazonian Quarter" pattern, the short-lived Twenty Cent Piece, and the famous Trade Dollar. The coin was designed to weigh roughly 2.5 ounces and be made of solid gold. Had it been made for circulation with the general public, the coin would have been the
Half-union
4089645
kanji; the back is stamped with "Japan" and the year of issue, also in kanji, separated by sprouts of a tree. The three graphic elements of the coin represent agriculture and fisheries, the key elements of the Japanese first-sector economy. Around a hole, there is a gear that represents industry. It is the only Japanese coin in circulation to lack Arabic numerals on either face. The Japanese for "five yen," "go en" (五円) is a homophone with "go-en" (御縁), "en" being a word for causal connection or relationship, and "go" being a respectful prefix. As a result, five-yen coins are
5 yen coin
16009551
New Zealand two-dollar coin The New Zealand two-dollar coin is the largest-denomination coin of the New Zealand dollar. It was introduced along with the one-dollar coin in 1990. Both are made from an alloy of aluminium and brass. It is the largest and heaviest coin in circulation, weighing ten grams and measuring 26.5 millimetres in diameter. Its thickness is 2.7 mm, only 0.4 mm thinner than the one-dollar coin, thus it is the second-thickest coin in the country's circulation. A two dollar banknote was used in New Zealand from the start of the dollar in 1967 until 1991 when the
New Zealand two-dollar coin
5479437
profile his better side. The only change to the inscription was the substitution of (Edward VIII) for . The wren design was approved for the coinage of Edward's brother and successor, King George VI (1936–1952); it would stay on the coin for its remaining twenty years. Paget redesigned his obverse to include the new king's left-facing bust, and the wording was adjusted to include . The coin was struck each year from 1937. In 1949, following the independence of India, was removed from the obverse. The accession of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 brought a new portrait to the farthing
History of the British farthing
16958238
silver farthing had simply become too small to be struck, following successive reductions in the weight of silver in the coin, and far too easy to lose. It was during the reign of King James I (1603–1625) that copper coinage was introduced. From his previous experience as King of Scotland James realised that small denomination copper coins would be acceptable, as they had been in use in Scotland and on the European mainland for some time. However the English seemed to have an obsession with gold and silver, requiring that coins had their proper values' worth of metal. James decided
Farthing (English coin)
16958237
around a long cross. Farthings of the second coinage were also struck at Canterbury (distinguished by a Catherine Wheel mintmark). The third coinage (1544–1547) was produced in base silver and has the legend around a rose, and the reverse legend around a long cross with one pellet in each quarter. A base silver farthing was issued by King Edward VI (1547–1553) with the inscription around the portcullis on the obverse. This coin is also extremely rare. No farthings were produced in the reigns of Queen Mary, Philip and Mary, or Queen Elizabeth I, mainly due to the fact that the
Farthing (English coin)
20095802
5 sen coin The was a Japanese coin worth one twentieth of a Japanese yen, as 100 "sen" equalled 1 yen. These coins were minted from the late 19th century until the end of World War II. Like the other denominations of sen, these coins were eventually taken out of circulation at the end of 1953. While not in circulation anymore, these coins are bought and sold by numismatics for academic study, and by those with a hobby. The following are circulation figures for five sen coins that were minted between the 3rd, and 39th year of Meiji's reign. The
5 sen coin
7505758
Australian ten-cent coin The Australian ten-cent coin is a coin of the decimal Australian dollar. When the dollar was introduced as half of an Australian pound on 14 February 1966, the coin inherited the specifications of the pre-decimal shilling; both coins were worth one twentieth of a pound. On introduction it was the fourth-lowest denomination coin. Since the withdrawal from circulation of the one and two cent coins in 1992, it has been the second-lowest denomination coin in circulation. For the first year of minting (1966), 30 million coins were produced at the British Royal Mint (then in London), and
Australian ten-cent coin
2325093
of demand and large quantity returns from casino slot machines that now operate "coinless". Eventually, when the reserve supply runs low, the mint will again fill orders for circulation half dollars. It took about 18 years (1981–1999) for the large inventory stockpile of a similar low-demand circulation coin, the $1 coin, to reach reserve levels low enough to again produce circulation pieces. Modern-date half dollars can be purchased in proof sets, mint sets, rolls, and bags from the U.S. Mint, and existing inventory circulation pieces can be ordered through most U.S. banks. All collector issues since 2001 have had much
Half dollar (United States coin)
2325089
has undergone a number of changes throughout its history. Though not commonly used today, half dollar coins have a long history of heavy use alongside other denominations of coinage, but have faded out of general circulation for many reasons. They were produced in fairly large quantities until the year 2002, when the U.S. Mint ceased production of the coin for general circulation. As a result of its decreasing usage, a large amount of pre-2002 half dollars remain in Federal Reserve vaults, prompting the change in production. Presently, collector half dollars can be ordered directly from the U.S. Mint, and pre-2002
Half dollar (United States coin)
19097730
Withdrawal of low-denomination coins The withdrawal of a country's lowest-denomination coins from circulation (usually a one-cent coin or equivalent) may either be through a decision to remove the coins from circulation, or through simply ceasing minting. This withdrawal may be due to the high cost of production, since the coin may be worth less than its cost of production. For example, when Canada phased out its penny in 2012, its production cost was 1.6 cents per penny. Other reasons include low purchasing power and low utility. Often coins are withdrawn after their purchasing power has been eroded after decades of
Withdrawal of low-denomination coins
19870901
minted during eight periods that spanned three different imperial eras. Two different varieties were produced in 1940, 1941, and 1943 when the coin was ultimately reduced in size. At the end of World War II, aluminium coins were produced from late 1945 into 1946. These should not be confused with the scarce clay baked coins which unofficially circulated before the end of the war. The final ten-sen coins were produced in 1946, and were eventually taken out of circulation at the end of 1953. The following are circulation figures for ten sen coins that were minted between the 3rd, and
10 sen coin
20830201
1 sen coin The was a Japanese coin worth one-hundredth of a Japanese yen, as 100 "sen" equalled 1 yen. These coins were minted from the late 19th century until the end of World War II. Like the other denominations of sen, these coins were eventually taken out of circulation at the end of 1953. The following are circulation figures for one sen coins that were minted between the 6th, and 42nd year of Meiji's reign. The dates all begin with the Japanese symbol 明治 (Meiji), followed by the year of his reign the coin was minted. Each coin is
1 sen coin
10951841
Coin counterfeiting Coin counterfeiting of valuable antique coins is common; modern high-value coins are also counterfeited and circulated. Counterfeit antique coins are generally made to a very high standard so that they can deceive experts; this is not easy and many coins still stand out. Counterfeits of higher-value coins in circulation, designed for general circulation at face value, have been made by criminals for thousands of years. For modern coins in general circulation, the most common method of protection from forgeries is the use of bi-metallic coins made of two metals of different color, which are difficult to counterfeit at
Coin counterfeiting
10951847
placed upside down within the upper loop of the "R" of "LIBERTY" in the Native American's headdress. Coin counterfeiting Coin counterfeiting of valuable antique coins is common; modern high-value coins are also counterfeited and circulated. Counterfeit antique coins are generally made to a very high standard so that they can deceive experts; this is not easy and many coins still stand out. Counterfeits of higher-value coins in circulation, designed for general circulation at face value, have been made by criminals for thousands of years. For modern coins in general circulation, the most common method of protection from forgeries is the
Coin counterfeiting
12848970
settlement. According to Karl Marx circulation is a process which is established by capital and formed from wealth. The amount of money in circulation varies according to a number of factors. For example, there is more demand at Christmas time when commercial activity is high. Notes and coins stored in warehouses are ordered by banks and sent to them so they may increase supply. Gold coins are the traditional kind of coin placed into circulation. Some coins enter circulation before a die defect in their design is discovered and they are removed. If a coin is in circulation for a
Circulation (currency)
15331553
the total circulation of dollar notes and dollar coins to increase further than would have been the case otherwise." When asked to elaborate, Allison said: Rep. Jack Metcalf then began questioning Allison about these issues in more detail. Allison explained that when the United States Mint produces a dollar coin, it spends 8 cents on production costs and issues the coin into circulation at face value (100 cents), depositing the coin in the Federal Reserve for 100 cents. The 92-cent difference is seigniorage; essentially profit. In the case of a dollar bill, on the other hand, the cost of producing
United States $1 Coin Act of 1997
1627575
elevenpence farthing". Coins were minted in 1839, 1851, 1852, 1853, and the proof issue of 1868. The 1839–53 coins were made of copper, weighed and had a diameter of . So, £1 worth of quarter farthings weighed 10 avoirdupois pounds (). The 1868 coins were made of bronze or cupro-nickel, but weighed the same and had the same diameter. The obverse bears the left-facing portrait of Queen Victoria, with the inscription , while the reverse bears a crown above the words with a rose with three leaves at the bottom of the coin. In 2017 values, the quarter farthing would
Quarter farthing
20095805
read as "year 12" or 1937. Some of the mintages included cover more than one coin variety for a given year. 5 sen coin The was a Japanese coin worth one twentieth of a Japanese yen, as 100 "sen" equalled 1 yen. These coins were minted from the late 19th century until the end of World War II. Like the other denominations of sen, these coins were eventually taken out of circulation at the end of 1953. While not in circulation anymore, these coins are bought and sold by numismatics for academic study, and by those with a hobby. The
5 sen coin
4764269
had previous coins. The ½ penny coin was last minted in 1981. A square 1 pound coin was issued in circulation in 1981 to mark the bicentenary of the Battle of Jersey. The square pound could not be accepted by vending machines and was not issued after 1981 although it remains in circulation today. When the rest of the British Isles started to introduce a standardised pound coin in 1983, Jersey changed to a round coin to match. The square version although rare is still used in the islands. Neither round nor square versions of the coin are as common
Jersey pound
10500894
silver was discontinued in 1968. Coins after 1968 were then minted in very high numbers, making silver coins uncommon, plus the introduction of silver-rejecting bank machines took many silver coins out of circulation. This all made silver too hard to find for coin roll hunters, so they primarily search for 1922-1964 nickels for their numismatic value and for 1965-1981 Nickels for their metal value, which slightly exceeds their face value. Pre-1997 pennies were also pulled out of circulation due to their copper high metal value prior to the removal of pennies from circulation in 2013. Other roll hunters attempt to
Coin roll hunting
15531049
Tower Mint. The three-halfpence coin closely resembles the English Three Farthing coin and the Threepence coin, which differed only in the diameter. This is 16 millimetres in an unclipped coin, compared to 14 mm for the three-farthings, and 19 mm for the three pence (except 1561, which was 21 mm). No three-halfpences were produced after 1582, probably because under both James I and Charles I large quantities of halfpennies and farthings were produced. Three halfpence (English coin) The English three halfpence, a silver coin worth d, was introduced in Elizabeth I of England's third and fourth coinages (1561–1582) as part
Three halfpence (English coin)
20826605
Philippine half centavo coin The Philippine half centavo coin (½¢), a denomination of Philippine currency, was issued when the Philippines was under US administration. It bears the names of both countries: Filipinas (the Spanish name of the Philippines) and the United States of America. Filipino sculptor Melecio Figueroa was hired to design the coin. It features a man with a hammer and anvil, seating in front of Mayon Volcano. In 1903 and 1904, the US mint at Philadelphia struck bronze-minted half centavo coins for circulation. Eventually, the coin was withdrawn from circulation because it was rejected by Filipinos for its
Philippine half centavo coin
5479435
his watch chain to the Deputy Master of the Mint, Robert Johnson, and asking for more like those. King Edward eventually gave in on the question, fearing that such designs would be unacceptable to the British people, but non-heraldic themes for the halfpenny (a sailing ship) and farthing survived. The selected design for the farthing, a wren, placed the smallest British bird on the British coin smallest in value. In an attempt to break the deadlock between King and Mint, artist Wilson Parker had prepared a series of coinage designs based on what were loosely deemed royal animals: eagle, dove,
History of the British farthing
5479415
Farthings with Croker's design for George's head were minted in 1730–1737 and 1739. A bust showing an older King by John Sigismund Tanner was used on the farthing in 1741, 1744, 1746, 1749, 1750, and 1754, though the 1754 coin was probably minted at least until 1763. All George II farthings weighed 4.5–5.3 grams and had a diameter of 22–23 millimetres. Both obverses showed left-facing heads of King George and the inscription , and on the reverse, Britannia with the inscription and the date in the exergue. The farthing was made in relatively small number compared to the halfpenny (struck
History of the British farthing
7643007
Canada's currency museum, while the other is in a private collection. The rarity stems from the fact the federal government chose not to proceed with producing a "silver dollar" in 1911. The 1911 coin sets were originally planned to include the $1, but the sets came with an empty gap where the $1 coin was supposed to be. Canada wouldn't issue a $1 circulation coin until the 1935, when it issued a circulating dollar commemorating George V Silver Jubilee. Among numismatists, the 1921 50-cent coin is considered the rarest Canadian circulation coin and is known as The King of Canadian
Coins of the Canadian dollar
20723820
exacerbated by the lack of circulation of a small coin. With a decrease in the value of the ruble and the termination of the exchange, the silver coin began to disappear from circulation, as it was profitable to remelt it into products and sell it abroad. Even a small coin disappeared from circulation, settling on the hands of the population, trying to hedge against possible financial losses. In the early 1860's Maltsov's "notes" were not only readily accepted by neighboring landlords as a quitrent, but also when paying various state taxes. Maltsov "notes" cease to be simply coupons for getting
Private currency in pre-revolutionary Russia
815030
the person receives less than one ounce of gold. Seigniorage occurred. If the value of the currency relative to gold has increased, then the person receives more than one ounce of gold. Seigniorage did not occur. Seigniorage, therefore, is the positive return on issuing notes and coins, or "carry" on money in circulation. The opposite, "cost of carry (demurrage)", is not regarded as a form of seigniorage. Ordinarily seigniorage is only an interest-free loan (for instance of gold) to the issuer of the coin or paper money. When the currency is worn out, the issuer buys it back at face
Seigniorage
1518772
silver of proper weight and fineness was cut off the end of a silver bar, then flattened out and impressed by a hammer. The result was a crude, temporary coin, an irregular lump of silver. This type of coin became known as a "cob" in English, or a "macuquina" in Spanish. The Crown was entitled to a fifth of all gold and silver mined, the "quinto real" (royal fifth), and cobs were a convenient means of handling and accounting for silver. Although intended to serve only temporarily, some did remain in circulation as currency. Because of their irregular shape and
Peso
11987407
Cundinamarca, where it was still legal tender for public debts. There was considerable speculation in these coins in Bogotá, where they came to form the bulk of circulation. Consequently, a law of 7 April 1864 restored legal tender status, in payment of public debts, to all coin less than .900 fine (but not in the State of Panamá) and budgeted 80,000 pesos to re-coin .666 fine silver (for which purpose a third mint opened at Medellín). In 1864 the government planned to establish a national bank, but this did not work out. So the Banking Law of 6 May 1865
Currency of Colombia
3034298
the quadrans became the lowest-valued coin in production. It was produced sporadically until the time of Antoninus Pius (AD 138–161). Unlike other coins during the Roman Empire, the quadrans rarely bore the image of the emperor. The Greek word for the quadrans was κοδράντης "(kodrantes)", which was translated in the King James Version of the Bible as "farthing". In the New Testament a coin equal to one half the Attic chalcus was worth about 3/8 of a cent. In Mark's gospel, when a poor widow gave two mites or λεπτα ("lepta") to the Temple Treasury, the gospel writer noted that
Quadrans
18982023
to deem this issue "the first instance we believe, where the coin fraternity has been consulted in the issue of a commemorative half dollar". The coins were sold to the public for $1 each through the Fifth National Bank and other outlets. Bulk sales were made to certain groups. The coins did not sell as well as expected, and 55,000 were returned, after which they were placed in circulation. Relatively few are known in worn condition, causing author and coin dealer Q. David Bowers to conclude the public picked them out of pocket change. Money from the Huguenot-Walloon half dollar
Huguenot-Walloon half dollar
4837789
freely in slot machines. It was of the same shape and size of the British coin of the same denomination, as both nations' pounds were pegged until 1979. The coin used the woodcock design from the pre-decimal farthing coin, introduced to the Irish Free State in 1928. On 31 May 1988 a special design was circulated for the "Dublin Millennium", although Dublin is thought to have been founded by the Vikings in around 841 – the issue was regarded for publicity and collectors only. The millennium coin was the first decimal to feature words on it, the word "Dublin" in
Fifty pence (Irish coin)
5479428
penny was halved, the farthing was lightened by a bit less than that lest it be too small. The farthing was virtually identical to the penny and halfpenny but for minor details. The new bronze coinage went into circulation in December 1860; the old copper pieces were demonetised after 31 December 1869 in Britain (though the Mint would still accept them until 1873) and at the end of 1877 for the colonies. The new bronze farthings weighed 2.8–3.0 grams, were 20 millimetres in diameter, and were made of an alloy of 95% copper, 4% tin and 1% zinc. Disregarding minor
History of the British farthing
1817755
coins for collectors, there were a number of coins that were issued only once and were rarely found in circulation: three commemorative circulation coins in denominations of 2, 10 and 100 latu (the later two of which were, respectively, silver and gold), a 100 lats gold bullion coin, a standard issue 2 lats coin that was gradually taken out of circulation starting from 1999 due to safety issues and a series of limited design 1 lats coins that were issued twice a year from 2004 to 2013, and once in 2001 and 2003. The standard coins were designed by Gunārs
Latvian lats
10037604
at Philadelphia and Denver. A new Philadelphia Mint was authorized in 1963, though the hoped-for opening date of 1966 was soon pushed back to 1967 (it eventually opened in 1969). The coin shortage did not ease during 1963. In spite of heavy production by the two mints, early 1964 saw but a trickle of flowback, alarming the Fed. Investigation showed that banks and their business customers were retaining coins, fearing shortages. Many of the silver ones were being taken out of circulation by people believing the price of that metal would rise. The Treasury began removing silver certificates from circulation,
Coinage Act of 1965
14259737
Robert B. Anderson, the new design featured the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The redesign came as a complete surprise, as word of the proposal had not been leaked. The coin was officially released on , 1959, the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, although some pieces entered circulation early. The selected design was the result of an internal competition among the Mint's engravers. Gasparro did not go in person to see the Lincoln Memorial, a place he had never visited. According to Anderson, Gasparro created an "impressive" image of the Memorial, however, Taxay states that the design "looks at first
Lincoln cent
20830204
different designs, in this gallery the different designs during this era are shown: 1 sen coin The was a Japanese coin worth one-hundredth of a Japanese yen, as 100 "sen" equalled 1 yen. These coins were minted from the late 19th century until the end of World War II. Like the other denominations of sen, these coins were eventually taken out of circulation at the end of 1953. The following are circulation figures for one sen coins that were minted between the 6th, and 42nd year of Meiji's reign. The dates all begin with the Japanese symbol 明治 (Meiji), followed
1 sen coin
4541051
3, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50 (naya) paisa and one rupee. Since rupees retained their pre-decimal value, pre-decimal coins of one, half and quarter rupees remained in circulation after decimalisation. The word "naya" was dropped in 1964 and a new denomination, the 3 paisa, was introduced into circulation. A 20 paisa coin was minted in 1968. Neither of these coins gained much popularity. The 1, 2 and 3 paisa coins were phased out gradually in the 1970s. In 1982, a new 2 rupee coin was introduced experimentally to replace 2 rupee notes. The 2 rupee coin was not minted again
Coins of the Indian rupee
19706741
of thousands, it was reported in 1904 that fifty sen coins were not commonly seen in circulation. Production of silver coins stopped in 1938, and the coins were replaced by brass ones starting in 1946. The final fifty-sen coins were produced two years later, and the coin was eventually taken out of circulation at the end of 1953. The following are circulation figures for the coins that were minted between the 3rd, and the 45th and last year of Meiji's reign. Coins for this period all begin with the Japanese symbol 明治 (Meiji). Fifty sen pieces that were minted between
50 sen coin
7507823
a number of commemorative issued coins since the Australian $1 was released in 1984, some of which were not released into circulation. Australian one dollar coin The Australian one dollar coin is the second-most-valuable circulation denomination coin of the Australian dollar after the two-dollar coin; there are also non-circulating legal-tender coins of higher denominations (five-, ten-, two-hundred-dollar coins and the one-million-dollar coin). It was first issued on 14 May 1984 to replace the one-dollar note which was then in circulation, although plans to introduce a dollar coin had existed since the mid-1970s. The first year of minting saw 186.3 million
Australian one dollar coin
5176647
Methods of coin debasement Coin debasement is the act of decreasing the amount of precious metal in a coin, while continuing to circulate it at face value. This was frequently done by governments in order to inflate the amount of currency in circulation; typically, some of the precious metal was replaced by a cheaper metal when the coin was minted. But when done by an individual, precious metal was physically removed from the coin, which could then be passed on at the original face value, leaving the debaser with a profit. Coin debasement was effected by several methods, including clipping
Methods of coin debasement
20367481
Double sovereign The Double sovereign is a gold coin of the United Kingdom, with a nominal value of two pound sterling or 40 shillings. It was first minted using the design by Benedetto Pistrucci in 1820 under the reign of George III and never entered circulation, instead being considered a pattern coin. As a precursor to the modern decimalised £2 coin it shares a similar diameter of 28.4 mm. The history of Double sovereigns can be traced back to 1485 when larger sovereign coins were minted using dies of the standard English sovereign, although not entering circulation they are thought
Double sovereign
5701860
have such punishments, and was in place at the time in Roman occupied Palestine. The coin mentioned is also Roman. The word translated as farthing in the KJV and penny in the WEB in Greek is a quadrans, as implied by the translations this was a coin of low value. In the Roman currency system of the time the Quadrans was the lowest valued coin. The very similar verse at Luke 12:59 mentions a mite, a Jewish coin worth even less than a quadrans. This is one of a small group of verses that have been advanced as Biblical references
Matthew 5:26
5888744
especially dangerous to collectors since they are not hallmarked; his coins have appeared in the IBSCC's Bulletin on Counterfeits as well as Spink's Numismatic Circular, April 2000, pp.50-54, coin no. 16. Recently coins such as Edward I Farthing have emerged. Trevor Ashmore Trevor Ashmore is a coin counterfeiter infamous for producing modern copies of ancient English coins in the 1960s. Ashmore was a part-time coin dealer in the late 1960s and early 1970s. As he was a precision engineer he also made experimental coin dies. In 1972 he set up the company 'Period Coins' in Sutton-in-Ashfield producing replica coins, selling
Trevor Ashmore
7642993
9 (common). In 1973, an RCMP quarter came out; it also has two varieties: a large bust (rare) and small bust (common). In 1987, the loonie was introduced, replacing the voyageur dollar with a new design, new colour, and smaller size. This coin also replaced the $1 bill, which was subsequently withdrawn from circulation by the Bank of Canada. In February 1996, the $2 coin, or toonie, was released; it currently has three varieties. (Early examples had problems with the centres being punched out in circulation.) The toonie replaced the $2 bill. To date there have been four different obverse
Coins of the Canadian dollar
1624962
sufficiently different in colour to the existing coins and which would not tarnish. This last point was thought to be important because the new coin would be the most valuable coin in general circulation in the world (about £8.40 in today's values). It therefore had to be a different shape; various methods had been used overseas to overcome this problem but none were without drawbacks. A hole through the coin did unacceptable things to the Queen's head (which is a legal requirement on British coins), and wavy-edged, flat-edged or square coins could not be used in the coin-handling machinery which
Fifty pence (British coin)
11731156
of vellón coin in Spain had driven gold and silver from circulation. After the failure of numerous attempts to correct this situation, the currency finally underwent a major reform on October 14, 1686, when Spain devalued silver by ≈20% and adopted a dual coinage standard. The old silver standard ("plata vieja") was maintained in the American colonies, but a new devalued silver ("plata nueva") was adopted for circulation in Spain itself. The old piece of eight was valued at 10 reales of the new silver coin. The new 8-real coin was known as "peso sencillo", the old piece of eight
Currency of Spanish America
11903147
Union system, based on the silver fuerte (venezolano de plata) of 25·000 g, 0·900 fine, and the gold venezolano of 1·6129 g, 0·900 fine. The 20-venezolano gold piece was named the "Bolívar". Coins were ordered from Paris; foreign coin was to remain in circulation until they arrived. New ratings were published July 2. From January 1, 1872 all accounts had to be converted and expressed in venezolanos and centavos. On February 13, 1874 the circulation of coin worn on both sides was prohibited and a new table of ratings for foreign coin was published. When the coinage of 1873–1874 was
Currency of Venezuela