1 Farthing - George IV 1st issue (1821–1826)

One row for each year the 1 Farthing - George IV 1st issue was struck. Prices are medians of verified sold listings matched to that year from the listing: circulated is worn condition up to Extremely Fine, uncirculated is About Uncirculated or better. A count in brackets means fewer than three sales behind the figure; a grey figure marked "type" is the median across every year, shown where that year has no sale of its own yet. Most types have been searched year by year only since October 2026, so later years are still filling in. Use the grade table below for a price by condition across all years.

About the 1821 1 Farthing - George IV 1st issue

The 1821 1 Farthing - George IV 1st issue is a circulating 1 farthing coin issued from 1821 to 1826, struck in copper. It weighs 4.72g and measures 22mm across. Reverse design: Seated figure of Britannia facing right with lion at her feet, trident in left hand, shield with Union flag and olive branch in right, legend around, date in exergue.

Mintage figures are recorded for 5 years between 1821 and 1826, 21,944,700 coins in all. 1823 is the scarcest date, with 2,365,400 struck. It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 1869), so its value is to collectors only.

Common questions

History and design

No farthings had been struck for the government since Matthew Boulton's Soho Mint issues of 1799 and 1806. The Great Recoinage that began in 1816 dealt first with gold and silver, and the Royal Mint resumed farthing production only in 1821. From then until Victoria's accession it was struck in every year except 1824, 1832 and 1833, at 22 mm and 72.9 grains (4.72 g).

This first type was used for 1821, 1822, 1823, 1825 and part of 1826. Coin Hunter gives 2,688,000 for 1821, 5,924,350 for 1822, 2,365,440 for 1823 and 4,300,800 for 1825, and Coinvarieties' rounded figures agree. The 1826 total of 6,666,240 covers this type and the new bare-head farthing introduced that year.

The obverse carries a laureate and draped bust of the king facing left with GEORGIUS IIII DEI GRATIA, using four Is for the regnal number. The reverse shows Britannia seated right with trident and shield, BRITANNIAR: REX FID: DEF: around and the date in the exergue below her. The denomination does not appear, so the value is told by size alone.

The Royal Mint Museum's records for its examples name William Wyon as designer of both sides and record a plain edge. The two sides are in coin orientation, one upside down relative to the other, which changed when the second issue arrived in 1826.

Varieties and errors

Tony Clayton describes two obverse dies that differ in the midribs of the three lowest wreath leaves: raised single lines (Type 1, found for 1821, 1822, 1825 and 1826) or incuse lines (Type 2, for 1822, 1823 and 1825). He notes that Peck lists the 1825 Type 2 as scarce. The 1823 farthing also exists with a Roman I instead of the numeral 1, which Clayton identifies as a 1 cut over an inverted 1.

Collecting notes

Check the leaf midribs with a glass to identify the obverse type, and look at the date closely on 1823 coins for the Roman I. The fine lines on Britannia's shield and the laurel wreath wear first. Proofs exist, and the Royal Mint Museum holds proof farthings dated 1821 and 1822.

For the later bare-head type see the second issue farthing. Clayton records that copper farthings were demonetised on 31 December 1869.