Two coins in the outlineSourced
Its later name compared the bicycle’s unequal wheels
The penny-farthing’s large front wheel and small rear wheel resemble the different sizes of British penny and farthing coins. The now-familiar name was recorded after the bicycle’s main period of use. A historical machine can acquire its best-known label later.
The coin comparison describes the silhouette.
Summary / translation: Unbubly · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Penny-farthing · Wikimedia contributors
Adapted, summarized and translated from the source. Adapted text is also available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Reviewed: 2026-10-05