Page "Farthing (British coin)" Paragraph 1

The Edward VIII farthing is a pattern which was awaiting royal approval at the time of the abdication in December 1936.

The king insisted that his left profile be used on the coinage instead of the right which would have been used if he had followed the alternating tradition going back to Charles II ; the obverse has the inscription, but in a complete break from tradition Britannia was dropped from the reverse for the first time since 1672, and replaced by one of Britain's smallest birds, the wren.

This reverse remained in use for the remainder of the coins ' existence.