1 Farthing - George II older bust (1741–1754)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1741–1754 |
| Denomination | 1 Farthing |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Circulating |
| Demonetised | 1817 |
| Composition | Copper |
| Weight | 4.930g |
| Diameter | 23.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Older laureate and cuirassed portrait of King George II facing left, legend around.
GEORGIVS II REX
Seated figure of Britannia left, trident in left hand, olive branch in right, shield bearing the Union flag resting on left, legend around, date in exergue.
BRITANNIA
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Daily limit reachedAbout the 1741 1 Farthing - George II older bust
The 1741 1 Farthing - George II older bust is a circulating 1 farthing coin issued from 1741 to 1754, struck in copper. It weighs 4.93g and measures 23mm across. Reverse design: Seated figure of Britannia left, trident in left hand, olive branch in right, shield bearing the Union flag resting on left, legend around, date in exergue.
It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 1817), so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1741 1 Farthing - George II older bust worth?
No verified sale of the 1741 1 Farthing - George II older bust has been logged on MyCoinage yet.
Which dates were the older bust farthings struck?
Clayton's list and Coin Hunter's year pages give 1741, 1744, 1746, 1749, 1750 and 1754. Clayton adds that the 1754 coin continued to be struck until 1763, so that date was made long after the year on it.
Why does my George II farthing say GEORGIUS?
Tony Clayton records that the farthings dated 1741 and 1744 use the spelling GEORGIUS, with a U, instead of the usual Latin form GEORGIVS. It is a recognised feature of those dates, not a later alteration.
How many were minted?
No mintage figure is published for any date of the older bust farthing. Clayton notes that the 1754 dies stayed in use until 1763, so even the year on a coin does not show when it was struck.
Is a 1754 farthing legal tender?
No. A royal proclamation of 5 December 1817, printed in the London Gazette, ruled that Mint halfpennies and farthings issued before 26 July 1797 should no longer be current, which covers every George II farthing. Holders had until 31 December 1817 to bring them to the Mint.
How do I identify the 1741 1 Farthing - George II older bust?
Check the weight 4.93g and diameter 23mm and the metal (copper) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
The farthing took on an older portrait of George II in 1741, after a gap in 1740. Tony Clayton writes that George II struck farthings in most years from 1730 to 1750 and also in 1754, and that the 1754 coin continued to be struck until 1763, well into the next reign. The dates of this type are 1741, 1744, 1746, 1749, 1750 and 1754.
These were the last farthings for some years. Wikipedia's farthing article says many counterfeits were in circulation by 1760 and that the Royal Mint stopped striking copper in 1775; Clayton's list shows the next farthings dated 1771, under George III. No mintage figures are published for any date.
The obverse carries an older, laureate bust of the King facing left with GEORGIVS II REX, and the reverse shows Britannia seated left with the date in the exergue below BRITANNIA, as recorded for a 1744 farthing in the Science Museum Group and a 1749 farthing at Nottingham. Clayton notes that the 1741 and 1744 dates spell the name GEORGIUS.
Wikipedia records that John Sigismund Tanner, appointed as Croker's assistant in 1729, succeeded him as Chief Engraver in 1741 and engraved most of the dies for George II's coins after 1739.
Varieties and errors
Beyond the GEORGIUS spelling, Clayton and Coin Hunter both list a 1754 farthing with the last 4 over a 0. Coin Hunter alone lists a 1746 with the V of GEORGIVS punched over LL.
Collecting notes
Read the spelling of the King's name on 1741 and 1744 coins and check the last digit of 1754 under a lens for the overdate. The earlier young bust farthing covers 1730 to 1739. Like all Mint copper issued before 26 July 1797, these farthings ceased to be current under a proclamation of 5 December 1817.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- Farthings, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Farthings, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Coin values by year, 1741 to 1754 (year pages read one by one), Coin Hunter (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Farthing (British coin), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Farthing coin of George II, 1744 (V&A no. 251-1907), Science Museum Group, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Farthing of George II, 1749 (NCM register entry), Nottingham City Museums, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- John Sigismund Tanner, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Proclamation on copper coin, 5 December 1817, The London Gazette (read 12 Oct 2026)
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