DENOMINATIONS.--_Silver._ Crown, Half-crown, Shilling, Sixpence,
Fourpence, Threepence, Twopence, Penny. _Gold._ Five-guinea,
Two-guinea, Guinea, Half-guinea. _Copper._ Farthing.
OBVERSE.--_Type._ Sinister bust profile, draped, hair thrown back, and
tied at back of head with a ribband, which passes round the head.
_Legend._ ANNA DEI GRATIA.
REVERSE.--_Type._ Four crowned shields in cross. Before the union
these shields were, 1 England, 2 Scotland, 3 France, 4 Ireland. After
the union they were altered to two shields of England and Scotland
impaled, one of France, and one of Ireland. In the centre, the cross
of St. George, in a star of the garter; between the shields, feathers
or roses, or feathers and roses alternately; Fourpence, Threepence,
Twopence, and Penny, values, crowned.
_Legend._ MAG BRI FR ET HIB REG and date.
_Edge._ DECVS ET TVTAMEN, and year of reign.
_Rarity._ All common. The smaller denominations scarcer than the others.
_Gold._ Same type and legend and edge. Reverse, sceptres between the
shields.
_Copper._ As there is so much popular error concerning the farthings,
it may be well to remark at length upon them, in order to clear away
the absurd idea generally entertained, of there being only three in
existence. Instead of this being the case, there are absolutely six
distinct varieties. The first, which is the only one which was ever in
general circulation, has, on the obverse, sinister bust profile, of
queen, draped, hair thrown back, encircled with a string of pearls,
ANNA DEI GRATIA; reverse, figure of Britannia, olive branch in her
right, and spear in her left hand, BRITANNIA, date, 1714, in exergue:
this, although scarce, is by far the commonest of the whole: there is
one with the same type, but broad rim, which is rare. Second, bust
as before, ANNA REGINA; reverse, as last. Third, same bust, ANNA DEI
GRATIA; reverse, figure of Britannia, right leg bare; BRITANNIA, 1713,
round. Fourth, obverse as before; reverse, Britannia, as last, under
an arch; BRITANNIA in exergue, 1713. Fifth, bust as before, with band
instead of pearls, within an inner circle (the busts on the others
are on the field); reverse, figure of Britannia standing, helmeted,
in the right hand the olive branch, and in her left the spear, within
inner circle; BELLO ET PACE; date 1715, in exergue. Sixth, bust as
one, ANNA AVGVSTA; reverse, same figure as last, standing in a car,
drawn by two horses; in her right hand she holds the olive branch,
in her left the reins and a spear; PAX MISSA PER ORBEM; in exergue,
1713. The prices depend upon the state of preservation of the coins,
but, for FINE ones, the following are about the values: 1, from six
shillings to fourteen shillings; 2 and 3, from fifteen shillings to
thirty shillings; 3, 4, and 6, from two to three pounds: 5, the rarest,
from five to ten, or twelve pounds. There is a small medal, or counter,
which is very frequently mistaken by the generality of persons for one
of her farthings. It has on the obverse the bust, with ANNA DEI GRATIA;
reverse, the four shields in cross, sometimes plain, and sometimes with
roses between the shields, MAG BR FRA ET HIB REG 1711; frequently RIG
instead of REG. Some of these are of beautiful workmanship, and others
very rude: they are far from being scarce; they were not struck as
current coins. Halfpenny, bust, ANNA D G MAG BR FR ET HIB REG; reverse,
sitting figure of Britannia, leaning on a shield, in her left hand a
spear, in her right a rose and thistle emanating from the same branch;
the whole beneath a crown.