1937 British farthing mug

The British farthing -- fourthing, one-fourth of a penny -- was minted from the 13th Century until 1960. By the time the coin was dropped as legal tender, about the only thing it would buy outright was a piece of candy known as a farthing chew. Early farthings were silver, but not many of these survive. Farthings have also been minted in tin and copper. This lovely little farthing was designed for Edward VIII before he abdicated in 1936. For the first time, Brittania was removed from the reverse, and replaced with a wren, designed by Harold Wilson Parke. Britain's smallest coin, Britain's smallest bird. It was a much beloved coin, despite its increasing uselessness. This edition was bronze and 19mm in diameter, similar to the size of the modern decimal penny. UK currency was decimalised in 1971. This coin is pre-decimal currency and is no longer legal tender.