How to Identify the Quarter Farthing
The Quarter Farthing is one of the smallest denominations ever struck in British coinage, worth one-sixteenth of a penny, issued for use in Ceylon during Queen Victoria's reign.
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What Is It
The Quarter Farthing is an extremely small copper coin worth one-sixteenth of a penny, representing a quarter of the value of a standard farthing. It was struck at intervals during Queen Victoria's reign, in the mid-19th century, specifically to serve the small-change needs of colonial commerce in Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka). Its tiny size and narrow purpose mean it is one of the more unusual and lesser-known denominations in British coin history.
Obverse Design
The obverse shows the young head portrait of Queen Victoria, consistent with other British coinage of the same period, surrounded by her name and title in the customary Latin abbreviation.
Reverse Design
The reverse features a seated Britannia figure in the same general style used on other small British copper denominations of the time, with the words QUARTER FARTHING and the date arranged around the design, clearly spelling out the coin's unusual value.
Size, Weight, and Metal
Struck in copper, the Quarter Farthing is remarkably small, measuring only about 13 to 14mm in diameter and weighing roughly 1.2 grams, making it noticeably smaller than the already tiny Third Farthing and Half Farthing.
Mint Marks and Where to Find Them
All Quarter Farthings were produced at the Royal Mint in London and carry no branch mint marks. Given the coin's tiny size, the date and denomination wording can be difficult to read without magnification.
Telling It Apart from Similar Coins
Size is the fastest way to distinguish a Quarter Farthing from its close relatives: it is smaller than both the Third Farthing (used in Malta) and the Half Farthing (also used in Ceylon), and the denomination spelled out on the reverse removes any remaining doubt.
Judging Condition at a Glance
Because of its tiny size and thin, delicate strike, the Quarter Farthing shows wear quickly on Victoria's portrait and on Britannia's fine details. Well-preserved, sharply struck examples with full legends are relatively scarce given the coin's small scale and its exposure to daily colonial commerce.
Authenticity Red Flags
Given its unusual size and narrow issue purpose, a genuine Quarter Farthing should weigh close to 1.2 grams and measure around 13 to 14mm; any example noticeably outside these dimensions, or with indistinct, poorly formed lettering, should be examined carefully, since reproductions and later-made copies of small colonial-purpose coins do circulate in the collector market.
Frequently asked questions
Where was the Quarter Farthing used?
It was struck specifically to serve the small-change needs of colonial commerce in Ceylon during Queen Victoria's reign.
How much was a Quarter Farthing worth?
It was worth one-sixteenth of a penny, or a quarter of the value of a standard farthing, making it one of the smallest-value coins in British coinage history.
How can I tell a Quarter Farthing from a Third Farthing?
The Quarter Farthing is smaller in diameter than the Third Farthing, and each coin spells out its own denomination on the reverse, so checking both size and wording confirms which is which.
Why is the Quarter Farthing so hard to find in good condition?
Its tiny, delicate strike wears down quickly with handling, and it saw genuine use in colonial commerce, so well-preserved examples with sharp detail are relatively scarce.