1856 Australia Queen Victoria Sydney Mint Type I Sovereign Gold Coin

Product Description:

Very Sharp hairline detail for this issue, which would grade about Extra-fine if not for surface marks. Rare to get with such strong detail.

Produced from 1855 to 1870 exclusively at The Sydney Mint on Macquarie Street, these coins are highly sought after and beautiful. The Type I (1855-1856) and Type II (1857-1870)series were the first Sovereigns to have a different reverse design than that of their British counterparts, as well as being refined with the addition of mostly silver instead of the typical copper.

The “Sydney Mint” Sovereign is a spectacular coin, it was the only time The Royal Mint allowed a mint branch to produce a Sovereign of a different design than its own. The Sydney Mint Sovereigns also contain silver instead of the usual copper as in their British counterpart, making the coins brighter and inherently more valuable. Once this was discovered the coins became highly sought after. Sydney Mint Sovereigns especially the 1855 and 1856 or the Type 1, first additions regularly achieve tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars when sold. Australia produced as much as 30% of the Gold Sovereigns in circulation within the British empire at the beginning of the 20th century, a Stunning coin.

Obverse: Queen Victoria hair tied; head left.

Reverse: Sydney Mint, with crowned Australia surrounded by wreath

Hand graded by Kurt Jaggard, Managing Director of KJC Coins Australia Pty Ltd