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1 Farthing - James I Harington issue, type 2
| Issuer | England |
|---|---|
| Year | 1614-1616 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Copper |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | IACO·D·G·MAG·BRIT (Translation: James by the grace of God [King] of Great Britain) |
| Reverse description | The reverse displays a crowned Irish harp at centre, its crown surmounted by a cross, set within a plain field. A mintmark appears at approximately 1 o'clock, varying by emission (recorded marks include cinquefoil, cross saltire, lis, mullet, and trefoil). The peripheral legend, continuing the royal title from the obverse, reads FRA:ET·HIB:REX, denoting James I as King of France and Ireland. The entire design is enclosed within a beaded border. The harp device is a characteristic emblem of the Irish kingdom as incorporated into the Stuart royal arms. |
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| Additional information |
England had no official copper coinage in 1613 when James I granted John Harington of Exton a royal patent to produce farthings privately — the Crown refusing to mint such low denominations itself on the grounds that copper coinage was beneath royal dignity. Harington died before production began in earnest, and the patent passed to Lord Lennox, whose consortium issued the Type 2 pieces through 1616. These were never legal tender in a strict sense; merchants were under no obligation to accept them, yet the desperate shortage of small change meant they circulated widely regardless.