GB and Australia a 2-coin set in gold 'Golden Dragons - East Meets West' comprising Sovereign 1900 Marsh 151, S.3874 Fine/Good Fine and Australia 25 Dollars 2000 Year of the Dragon, Gold Quarter Ounce Proof KM#527 FDC in the wooden Perth Mint box of issue with their certificate
Sovereign 1920M Marsh 238, S.3999, in a PCGS holder and graded MS62, we note the Ex-Bentley collection Lot 833, Ex Winsor and Sons, Jamberoo, NSW Australia, described as PCGS MS62+, sold for £5200 in London Coins Auction A159 purchased c.2004 (realised £6240 in the Bentley Sale)
AustraliaHalf Sovereign 1862 Sydney Branch Mint, Marsh 387, in an NGC holder and graded AU53. Rare, with a mintage of just 210,000 pieces. Our archive database shows that this is only the third example we have offered in 20 years, an example sold in London Coins Auction A171 December 2020 (Lot 535) described as NEF/EF a very pleasing example, realised £2400 hammer price
AustraliaHalf Sovereign 1866 Sydney Branch Mint, Marsh 391, in an NGC holder and graded AU55. Our archive database stretching back 20 years shows that this is the first example we have offered
AustraliaSovereign 1870 Sydney Branch Mint, Marsh A375, VF/GVF the reverse retaining some lustre, an attractive example and rare in all grades above Fine
AustraliaSovereign 1860 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh A365, GVF/NEF with some contact marks and some gentle edge bruises, all Sydney Branch Mint issues hard to find in grades above VF
AustraliaSovereign 1855 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 360 GVF/EF the first Sydney branch mint Sovereign, rare in all grades and especially so in this high grade, a rare opportunity to add a choice piece to an Australian or a Sovereign collection. Whilst South Australia solved its mid 19th century currency shortage by issuing the Adelaide Pound without London's approval Victoria and New South Wales requested the creation of a branch of the Royal Mint which opened in 1855 using part of Sydney Hospital. The first coins were struck in that year, including the coin offered here.
AustraliaHalf Sovereign 1856 Sydney Branch Mint, the 6 of the date overstruck, the underlying digit unclear, Marsh 381, VG with some flan damage, Very Rare in all grades
Half Sovereign 1909M Marsh 517 EF and lustrous the obverse with a thin scratch, this date surprisingly elusive in all grades, with most suffering from weak strikes, only 186,094 pieces minted, the Australian Half Sovereigns of Edward VII have a fraction of the mintage of the London Mint coins
Australia, The Perth Mint 100 Year Heritage Set a 3-piece set comprising Sovereign 1899P Marsh 171 GF/NVF with an X-shaped scratch in the obverse field, Australia 25 Dollars 1999P GoldQuarter Ounce Nugget Proof FDC and a small group of Gold nuggets (approximately 7.80 grammes) in a Westminster box with certificate
AustraliaSovereign 1860 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 365 VF/GVF with some light contact marks, all the Sydney Branch Mint gold is hard to find in grades VF and better
AustraliaSovereign 1867 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 372 GVF/EF a little weakly struck on the Queen's hair, with some contact marks, retaining some mint lustre, all the Sydney Branch mint gold difficult to find in grades above VF
AustraliaSovereign 1855 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 360 Good Fine, rare in all grades, whilst South Australia solved its mid 19th century currency shortage by issuing the Adelaide Pound without London's approval Victoria and New South Wales requested the creation of a branch of the Royal Mint which opened in 1855 using part of Sydney Hospital. The first coins were struck in that year, including the coin offered here
AustraliaSovereign 1861 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 366 GVF with a small area of light scuffing to the top of the rim between 12 and 1 o'clock on the reverse
AustraliaSovereign 1857 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 362 EF with subdued brilliance and some hairline scratches on the reverse and very scarce in this high grade
AustraliaHalf Sovereign 1858 Sydney Branch Mint, Marsh 383 EF/AU the obverse with a small minting flaw on the Queen's neck the reverse in particular most attractive and sharply struck, a few minor hairlines overall, but a superb example of this type, almost never seen in high grades, our archive database shows that this is by far the finest example we have offered in 16 years. A rare opportunity to add this type to an advanced Half Sovereign collection
AustraliaHalf Sovereign 1862 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 387 NEF/EF a very pleasing example with only very minor contact marks, the surface considerably superior to most examples usually seen. Rare with a mintage of just 210,000 pieces. Our archive database confirms that this is only the second example we have offered in 17 years
AustraliaHalf Sovereign 1857 Sydney Branch Mint, Marsh 382 GVF/NEF with some hairlines, the reverse with a heavier contact mark, the first year of the second issue Half Sovereigns
AustraliaSovereign 1863 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 368 NEF with traces of underlying lustre and some contact marks, all Sydney Branch Mint Sovereigns hard to find in grades above VF
AustraliaSovereign 1862 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 367 About EF, the obverse with a heavier contact marks in the field, Sydney Branch Mint Sovereigns all hard to find in grades above VF
AustraliaSovereign 1866 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 371 GVF/NEF with some contact marks and small rim nicks, all Sydney Branch Mint Sovereigns hard to find in grades above VF
AustraliaSovereign 1867 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 372 GVF/NEF with some contact marks and a few small rim nicks, all Sydney Branch Mint Sovereigns hard to find in grades above VF
AustraliaHalf Sovereign 1863 Marsh 388 Fine/Near Fine a collectable example for the grade, always a popular series and scarcer than catalogue values might suggest
Half Sovereign 1899M Marsh 499 GVF with some hairlines, rare and rated R2 by Marsh, one of a small group of Veiled Head Australian Mint Half Sovereigns in this sale, all being scarce or rare, many are seldom offered
AustraliaSovereign 1864 Marsh 369, KM#4 Sydney Branch Mint EF with some contact marks, all Sydney Branch Mint Sovereigns of this period are difficult to find in high grade
Half Sovereign 1908M Marsh 516 GEF/AU and lustrous, all Australian Mint Edward VII Half Sovereign desirable in high grades with some being extremely difficult to find
Sovereign 1872M 2 over 1 Shield Reverse, Marsh 59A, Fine/Good Fine and rated R4 by Marsh with 15-25 examples believed to exist, making this the scarcest date/die combination in the Melbourne Young Head Shield Series. The overdate is visible over the top of the 2 with the base of the underlying 1 forming part of the base of the 2. An example of the type is shown in Marsh 2000 page 64 (scanning electron microscope picture). Cataloguers Note: The mint was opened on 12 June 1872 by the Governor and Viscountess Canterbury. This was somewhat later than planned; it had ordered and paid for dies to strike coins dated 1871. It was initially manned by volunteers from the Royal Engineers who had undertaken special training in London. They were under the command of Colonel Edward Ward who had already great experience with opening a mint in Australia as he had been in charge of the original team at the Sydney Mint in 1855. This variety arose due to the dies sent from London only averaging 8000 impressions, whereas the reverse dies were averaging 14,000 impressions, therefore by September 1872 some of the 1871 obverse dies had to be altered. A local engraver Julius Hogarth was employed and carried out the work.
Sovereign 1872M 2 over 1 Shield Reverse, Marsh 59A, Good Fine/VF and rated R4 by Marsh with 15-25 examples believed to exist, making this the scarcest date/die combination in the Melbourne Young Head Shield Series. The overdate is visible over the top of the 2 with the base of the underlying 1 forming part of the base of the 2. This example shows a die crack through the 1 running from the rim, through the date, and ending on the truncation between the W.W. . An example of the type is shown in Marsh 2000 page 64 (scanning electron microscope picture). Cataloguers Note: The mint was opened on 12 June 1872 by the Governor and Viscountess Canterbury. This was somewhat later than planned; it had ordered and paid for dies to strike coins dated 1871. It was initially manned by volunteers from the Royal Engineers who had undertaken special training in London. They were under the command of Colonel Edward Ward who had already great experience with opening a mint in Australia as he had been in charge of the original team at the Sydney Mint in 1855. This variety arose due to the dies sent from London only averaging 8000 impressions, whereas the reverse dies were averaging 14,000 impressions, therefore by September 1872 some of the 1871 obverse dies had to be altered. A local engraver Julius Hogarth was employed and carried out the work.
AustraliaSovereign 1855 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 360 Good Fine, rare in all grades, whilst South Australia solved its mid 19th century currency shortage by issuing the Adelaide Pound without London's approval Victoria and New South Wales requested the creation of a branch of the Royal Mint which opened in 1855 using part of Sydney Hospital. The first coins were struck in that year, including the coin offered here. Marsh 360 Good Fine, rare in all grades
AustraliaSovereign 1857 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 362 EF with subdued brilliance and some hairline scratches on the reverse and very scarce in this high grade
AustraliaSovereign 1868 8 over 6 Sydney Branch Mint unlisted by Marsh or McDonald, in a PCGS holder and graded PCGS AU58+, the variety not listed on the holder
AustraliaSovereign 1858 Marsh 363, KM#4, the gap in the 5 filled between the top and the curve, Fine with some scuffs on the portrait and an edge nick, Very Rare
Sovereign 1920M Marsh 238, S.3999 , in a PCGS holder and graded MS62+, Ex-Bentley collection Lot 833, Ex Winsor and Sons, Jamberoo, NSW Australia, purchased c.2004 (realised £6240 in the Bentley Sale)
AustraliaSovereign 1855 Sydney Branch Mint Marsh 360 GVF/EF with a hint of mint brilliance, the first Sydney branch mint Sovereign, rare in all grades and especially so in this high grade, a rare opportunity to add a choice piece to an Australian or a Sovereign collection. Whilst South Australia solved its mid 19th century currency shortage by issuing the Adelaide Pound without London's approval Victoria and New South Wales requested the creation of a branch of the Royal Mint which opened in 1855 using part of Sydney Hospital. The first coins were struck in that year, including the coin offered here.
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