Fortuna 1949 Farthing - Wren Faced
This piece, cast from an impression of a 1949 Farthing, adds a rather spritely little wren to your collection. With a beady eye, he keeps watch over all that passes his way on the hunt for adventure and mischief.
Material: Available in Sterling Silver, Brass & Gold Plated
Size: approx. 2cm
*Please note our pendants are sold without chains. However, you can choose to add a chain below.
This piece, cast from an impression of a 1949 Farthing, adds a rather spritely little wren to your collection. With a beady eye, he keeps watch over all that passes his way on the hunt for adventure and mischief.
Material: Available in Sterling Silver, Brass & Gold Plated
Size: approx. 2cm
*Please note our pendants are sold without chains. However, you can choose to add a chain below.
This piece, cast from an impression of a 1949 Farthing, adds a rather spritely little wren to your collection. With a beady eye, he keeps watch over all that passes his way on the hunt for adventure and mischief.
Material: Available in Sterling Silver, Brass & Gold Plated
Size: approx. 2cm
*Please note our pendants are sold without chains. However, you can choose to add a chain below.
About the coin
It’s charming to note that the farthing as it was from 1937 onwards included a wren on the reverse side to the monarch’s profile, being the lowest denomination coin at a quarter of a penny, our feathered friend also happens to be one of the UK’s smallest birds, a rather pleasing fact combining two rather small things.
Back in the Victorian times, a farthing could get you three oysters, with bread and butter or sticking with an ornithology theme, it would be enough to purchase a sparrow at a market in London’s East End.
But, at a meagre ¼ of a pence it became a tricky coin to use, being so low in value not much could be acquired unless a large number were gathered together or combined with a coin of more heft and as we moved into the 1950’s in soon fell out of favour and out of circulation all together in 1960.
p.s. sometimes our little wren friend has a glint in his eye as he carries a newly found gem – take a look at our ‘Curios’ here for something with a little extra sparkle.