1 Farthing - George II young bust (1730–1739)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1730–1739 |
| 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) |
Young 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 1730 1 Farthing - George II young bust
The 1730 1 Farthing - George II young bust is a circulating 1 farthing coin issued from 1730 to 1739, 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It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 1817), so its value is to collectors only.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 1730 1 Farthing - George II young bust worth?
No verified sale of the 1730 1 Farthing - George II young bust has been logged on MyCoinage yet.
Which years were George II young bust farthings made?
Tony Clayton's list gives 1730, 1731, 1732, 1733, 1734, 1735, 1736, 1737 and 1739. There is no 1738 farthing, and from 1741 the farthing carries the King's older portrait instead.
How many George II farthings were minted?
No mintage figure is published for any date of the young bust farthing. Neither Clayton nor Coin Hunter gives numbers, so scarcity can only be judged from how often each date turns up.
How can I tell a farthing from a halfpenny of George II?
By size. Neither coin states its value; Clayton notes the denomination did not appear on farthings until the bronze issue of 1860. A museum example of the farthing measures 24 mm, against about 28 to 30 mm for the halfpenny.
Is a 1730s farthing still legal tender?
No. It stopped being current in 1817. A proclamation of 5 December that year, printed in the London Gazette, called in Mint halfpennies and farthings issued before 26 July 1797 and allowed holders until 31 December 1817 to bring them to the Mint.
How do I identify the 1730 1 Farthing - George II young 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
George I's last farthings were dated 1724, and the coin did not return until 1730, three years into the reign of George II. Tony Clayton records farthings in most years from 1730 to 1750 and again in 1754, with the young head design used until 1739 and an older portrait after that. The young bust dates in his list are 1730 to 1737 and 1739.
The copper coinage of the period was badly undermined by forgery, and Wikipedia's farthing article notes that by George III's accession in 1760 many counterfeits were in circulation. No official mintage figures are published for any date of this type.
The obverse shows a laureate bust of George II in armour facing left, with GEORGIVS II REX. A Science Museum Group farthing of 1733 is catalogued with that legend and, on the reverse, BRITANNIA above the seated figure of Britannia holding an olive branch and sceptre, with a shield bearing the combined crosses of St George and St Andrew and the date in the exergue. As on all copper farthings before 1860, the coin carries no statement of value.
Wikipedia's article on John Croker, Chief Engraver from 1705 until his death in 1741, says he engraved many of the dies for George II's coins up to 1740, though the farthing is not singled out.
Varieties and errors
Clayton and Coin Hunter both list a 1734 farthing without a stop in the obverse legend. Both also list an altered 1735 date, but they describe it differently: Clayton as a double-struck 3 (3 over 3), Coin Hunter as 3 over 5.
Collecting notes
On a worn coin, read the date and stops under magnification before calling a variety. The coin is easily confused with the older bust farthing of 1741 to 1754 in low grade, so check the date first. These farthings ceased to be current in 1817, when a proclamation of 5 December called in the Mint's halfpennies and farthings issued before 26 July 1797.
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, 1730 to 1739 (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, 1733 (V&A no. 252-1907), Science Museum Group, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- History of the halfpenny, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- John Croker (engraver), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Proclamation on copper coin, 5 December 1817, The London Gazette (read 12 Oct 2026)
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