Art Resource - ART307977

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Death of Edward the Confessor, 1042 (1866). Artist: Daniel Maclise

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Cut farthing of Edward 'the Confessor', minted in England, Anglo-Saxon, 1042-66. Diam: 0.9cm. W: 0.26g. The earliest farthing. The only coin that was circulated widely in early medieval England was the silver penny. Although the economy was less heavily based on cash payments than today, there was a clear need in the eleventh and twelfth centuries for smaller coins. Rather than issue smaller coins, it was thought simpler to cut pennies into halves and quarters. The majority of coin designs throughout the period had a cross on the reverse and, by lining a chisel up along the limbs of the cross, it was possible to make a neat division. The term 'farthing' literally means 'a fourth part' or 'quarter' in Old English.

Location British Museum/London/Great Britain

Unique Identifier ART307977

Type Image

Purpose Public

Size 3600px × 1527px

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