The quarter farthing British coin (1/16th of a penny, 1/3840th of a pound) was produced for circulation in Ceylon in various years between 1839 and 1853 (although proof coins were anomalously produced in 1868).
The coin is considered to be part of the British coinage because it has no indication of what country it was minted for, being made in the same style as the contemporary third farthing, although its value was too small to be of any use in Britain -- the proof set of 1853 did include this coin despite its lack of legal tender status in Britain.
Coins were minted in 1839, 1851, 1852, 1853, and the proof issue of 1868. The 1839-1853 coins were made of copper, weighed 1.2 grams, and had a diameter of 13.5 millimetres. The 1868 coins were made of bronze, but weighed the same and had the same diameter.
The obverse bears the left-facing portrait of Queen Victoria, with the inscription VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, while the reverse bears a crown above the words QUARTER FARTHING with a rose with three leaves at the bottom of the coin.
The quarterfarthingBritishcoin (1/16th of a penny, 1/3840th of a pound) was produced for circulation in Ceylon in various years between 1839 and 1853 (although proof coins were anomalously produced in 1868).
Coins were minted in 1839, 1851, 1852, 1853, and the proof issue of 1868.
The 1839-1853 coins were made of copper, weighed 1.2 grams, and had a diameter of 13.5 millimetres.
Henry IV issued farthings in both the "heavy" (pre 1412) and "light" (1412-13) coinages (20% lighter), although allowing for the prevalence of clipping it is quite difficult to distinguish between the two coinages at the size of the farthing.
Tin farthings continued to be produced for the first few years of the joint reign of William and Mary, being dated 1689-1692, but the coins were rapidly becoming unpopular as the problems of the corrosion of tin became apparent.
Farthings weighing 2.7 - 2.9 grams and of 20 millimetres diameter (which was to remain the standard size of the coin for the remainder of its existence) were minted in all years of Edward VII's reign (1901-1910) except 1901.
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