1860 United Kingdom penny varieties
United Kingdom
penny
Victoria 1860
varieties
What is a 1860 British penny coin worth?
Values, images, and specifications for the 1860 penny from the UK.
1860 brought significant
change to the British penny,
with composition changed
from copper to bronze,
reduction of diameter from
34mm to 30.8mm, reduction
of thickness, and reduction of
weight from 18.8g to 9.4g.
There are also changes to both obverse and
reverse design, with many varieties.
Below are the variants of circulated coins we are
going to cover here, based on Michael Freeman's
reference book 'The Bronze Coinage of Great Britain'.
Scroll down for an obverse and reverse
identification guide, describing differences.
Further down is a identification chart to assist
in isolating varieties in circulated condition.
Both are based primarily on images,
documentation, and advice kindly
provided by Charles Farthing.
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Obverse and Reverse identification guide
(click on image to expand)
1860 'Young Head' penny
date below head
Obverse
rose, thistle, and
shamrock in exergue
below Britannia
Reverse
1860 'Bun Head' penny
beaded rim
denticals
eyeball not bulging
at lid
Rev pairing: A,B,C,D
Obverse 1
beaded rim
denticals
eyeball bulging
at lid
Rev pairing: A,B,C
Obverse 1*
toothed denticals
obverse signature
overlaps cape
D:G: colons align
with denticals
Rev pairing: B,D
Obverse 2
toothed denticals
obverse signature
overlaps cape
D:G: colons align
between denticals
Rev pairing: D,E
Obverse 3
toothed denticals
obverse signature
clear of cape
Rev pairing: D
Obverse 4
toothed denticals
no obverse
signature
gap between border
and headband
Rev pairing: D
Obverse 5
toothed denticals
no obverse
signature
border almost
touches headband
Rev pairing: D
Obverse 6
beaded denticals
thumb doesn't reach
St George's Cross
Obv pairing: 1,1*
Reverse A
beaded denticals
thumb reaches
St George's Cross
3 incuse lines in
St George's Cross
Obv pairing: 1,1*,2
Reverse B
beaded denticals
thumb reaches
St George's Cross
2 raised lines on
St George's Cross
Obv pairing: 1,1*
Reverse C
toothed denticals
signature below
shield
Obv paring:
1,2,3,4,5,6
Reverse D
toothed denticals
signature below
foot
Obv pairing: 3
Reverse E
The purpose of our 1860 UK circulated penny variant identification guide is to assist in finding your variety,
by identifying differences until the variety is isolated from all others. Follow the flow chart to find your coin.
start here
1860 penny
date on
heads
date on tails
30.8 mm
bun head
bronze
beaded rim
heads
bun head
beaded obverse
toothed rim
heads
toothed rim
tails
beaded rim
tails
Please note:
This period remains the topic of research, conjecture,
and debate. As with any publication, we advise that this
information be used as a guide only, and in conjunction
with information from a variety of other sources.
34 mm
beaded obverse
beaded reverse
eyeball bulging
at lid
obverse 1*
eyeball not
bulging at
lid
obverse 1
obverse 1
thumb to cross
thumb not reach
St George's Cross
thumb to
cross
shield has 2
raised lines
shield has 3
incuse lines
thumb
not to
cross
obverse 1*
thumb to cross
thumb reaches
St George's Cross
3 incuse
lines to
shield
2 raised
lines to
shield
bun head
toothed obverse
beaded
rim
tails
toothed obverse
toothed reverse
toothed rim
tails
reverse
signature
below foot
toothed obverse
reverse D
reverse signature
below shield
toothed obverse
no obv signature
reverse D
no obverse signature
gap betw border & headband
headband leaf
almost touches
border
toothed obverse
obverse signature
reverse D
with
obverse
signature
'WYON'
clear of cape
toothed obverse
WYON over cape
reverse D
'WYON'
overlaps
cape
colons (:) from
D:G: line up with
rim denticals
colons from D:G:
line up between
rim denticals