1 Farthing - Charles I Richmond issue, type 1a

Charles I inherited the royal farthing patent from his father, who had granted Lord Harington exclusive rights to produce copper farthings in 1613 — a private monopoly that generated significant resentment in Parliament. The Richmond issue takes its name from the Duke of Richmond, to whom the patent passed in 1625 after a series of transfers through intermediaries. These were never legal tender in the strict sense; they circulated by commercial convenience rather than royal mandate, and merchants could refuse them.

Type 1a is distinguished from later Richmond types by its inner circle configuration. The patent changed hands again within a few years, producing enough variety across subtypes to sustain a dedicated specialist literature.