1931 Irish Farthing

The 1931 Irish Farthing was the smallest coin in circulation, weighing a mere 2.8 grams and measuring just 20 millimeters across, yet it handled everyday transactions in a fledgling nation.

This bronze piece, struck at the Royal Mint in London, featured a harp on the obverse and a woodcock in flight on the reverse—a design that reflected Ireland's push for distinct identity post-independence. Mintage figures for that year are unclear; records from the era were spotty at best.

What we do know is that it circulated until 1959, when decimalization rendered it obsolete. Some specimens show wear from constant use, a testament to their role in small change.

The farthing's size made it easy to lose, which might explain why it's often the last one standing in a collector's pile of pocket lint.