Australia 1866-S 1/2 sovereign
This specimen was lot 30367 in Heritage sale 3064 (Chicago, April 2018), where it sold for $1,020. The catalog description[1] noted, "Victoria gold 1/2 Sovereign 1866-SYDNEY AU50 PCGS, Sydney mint. Difficult to encounter in higher grades, this fairly elusive piece, the final date for its particular series, exhibits some light, even wear while still retaining a fair amount of luster." Half sovereigns were coined in Australia 1855-1920 in small numbers compared to the enormous quantities of sovereigns issued in that period. This type, with the queen's hair tied in a banksia wreath, was struck 1857-66 only and all the dates are rare today. This example sold for much less than the reported catalog value.
Recorded mintage: 154,000 plus proofs.
Specification: 3.99 g, 0.917 fine gold, .117 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: KM 3, Fr-10a.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- McDonald, Greg, The Pocket Guide to Australian Coins and Banknotes, 23rd ed., Lavington, Australia, 2017.
- Pitt, Michael, ed., Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values, 32nd Edition, Matraville, New South Wales, Australia: Renniks Publications, 2023.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of England & the United Kingdom, 46th edition, London: Spink & Son, 2011.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach and Warren Tucker, Heritage World Coin Auction 3064, featuring the Doug Robins Collection of Canadian Tokens, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2018.
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