1 Farthing - George III Pattern (1805)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1805 |
| Denomination | 1 Farthing |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Demonetised | Yes |
| Composition | Copper (Bronzed Finish) |
| Diameter | 25.5mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Obv. artist | Conrad Heinrich Küchler |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Laureate, draped and armored bust of King George III right.
Seated figure of Britannia left with Union shield, holding trident and olive branch; behind to left, ship sailing right.
1 Farthing - George III Pattern market value
Find this on eBay
Affiliate1 Farthing - George III Pattern price history
Daily limit reached1 Farthing - George III Pattern value by grade
Realised auction prices · ⭐ Pro Expand rows for individual sale records| Grade | Latest | Median | 30d Δ | All-time range | Sales (1yr) | Total sales | Last sale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDC | £340.00 🔒 | £340.00 (1) | – | £340.00 – £340.00 | 0 | 1 | 02-12-2012 | |
|
Loading…
|
||||||||
| VF | £480.00 🔒 | £480.00 (1) | – | £480.00 – £480.00 | 0 | 1 | 12-03-2025 | |
|
Loading…
|
||||||||
About the 1805 1 Farthing - George III Pattern
The 1805 1 Farthing - George III Pattern is a collector 1 farthing coin, struck in copper (Bronzed Finish). It measures 25.5mm across. Reverse design: Seated figure of Britannia left with Union shield, holding trident and olive branch; behind to left, ship sailing right.
It is no longer legal tender, so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1805 1 Farthing - George III Pattern worth?
Verified sold prices for the 1805 1 Farthing - George III Pattern run from £340 to £480 across 2 grades, taking the median for each grade. Condition makes the difference, so check the grade table above before pricing one.
Was there a farthing in 1805?
No farthing was issued for circulation in 1805. The 1805 pieces are patterns from the Soho dies, known as later strikings by W. J. Taylor. Boulton's contract of 1805 led to the circulating farthings dated 1806 and 1807.
Is the 1805 farthing an original Soho striking?
The examples Spink has catalogued are not. Both are described as struck by W. J. Taylor from the late Soho dies, one called a later striking from refurbished dies. Taylor bought many Soho dies in 1848 and restruck earlier Soho coins and patterns.
How do you identify an 1805 pattern farthing?
Look for the date 1805, a K on the truncation, the O of GEORGIVS cut over an R, SOHO behind Britannia on the reverse and a plain edge. Spink's examples weigh 5.91 g and 6.34 g and are catalogued as Peck 1319.
How do I identify the 1805 1 Farthing - George III Pattern?
Check the diameter 25.5mm and the metal (copper (Bronzed Finish)) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
Matthew Boulton's Soho Mint struck official copper under contracts of 1797 and 1799, and Wikipedia records that he gained another contract in 1805. By then the price of copper had risen again, and the new farthings, issued with the dates 1806 and 1807, were lighter and had no denomination. Patterns dated 1805 belong to the preparation of that coinage.
The 1805 farthings now known are not Soho strikings of that year. Spink has catalogued two examples, one in copper and one in bronzed copper, and describes both as struck by W. J. Taylor from the late Soho dies, one as a later striking from refurbished dies. Museums Victoria records that Taylor, a Birmingham-born medallist and dealer, acquired many original Soho dies in 1848 and restruck earlier Soho coins, including patterns. No number struck is recorded, and Coin Hunter's 1805 page lists no farthing.
The obverse shows a laureate and draped bust of George III facing right with a K on the truncation, the initial that the Royal Mint Museum identifies on the Soho coppers as that of Conrad Heinrich Küchler, Boulton's engraver. On the recorded examples the O of GEORGIVS is cut over an R.
The reverse shows Britannia seated left, with SOHO behind her. The edge is plain, and the two sides are set upside down to each other. Spink's examples weigh 5.91 g and 6.34 g and are catalogued as Peck 1319.
Varieties and errors
The O over R in GEORGIVS appears on both catalogued examples, so it is a feature of the die rather than a separate variety. Spink has sold the pattern in copper and in bronzed copper, and one bronzed example shows double-struck reverse legends.
Collecting notes
Expect a Taylor striking. Check the date, the K on the truncation, the O over R in GEORGIVS and the plain edge, which distinguishes it from the engrailed edge of the issued 1806 farthing.
The coin that went into circulation is the 1806 Soho farthing.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- George III, Bronzed Restrike Pattern Farthing, 1805, late Soho, by W J Taylor (auction 25124, lot 239), Spink (read 12 Oct 2026)
- The Hardcastle Collection: George III, Pattern Farthing, 1805, in copper, by W J Taylor from Soho dies (auction 20106, lot 2889), Spink (read 12 Oct 2026)
- W.J.Taylor, Mint, London, United Kingdom, Museums Victoria (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Penny, Royal Mint Museum (read 12 Oct 2026)
- History of the British penny (1714 to 1901), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- History of the British farthing, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- 1805 Coin Values, George III, Coin Hunter (read 12 Oct 2026)
- George III farthing, 1806 (RMM 1133), The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
More 1 Farthing coins from nearby years
