Australia 1885-S sovereign Fr-15
This specimen was lot 70275 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2021), where it sold for $456. The catalog description[1] noted, "AUSTRALIA. Sovereign, 1885-S. Sydney Mint. Victoria. PCGS AU-58 Gold Shield. Some light evidence of handling and time in circulation, but an otherwise charming representation of the antepenultimate year in the series." This "St. George and the dragon" type was struck 1871-87 at the Sydney and Melbourne mints simultaneously with the familiar "shield" type. The SCWC does not attempt to separate the mintages of the two types.
Recorded mintage: 1,486,000 (including the "shield" reverse).
Specification: 7.99 g, 0.917 fine gold, .2354 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: S-3855B; Fr-15; KM-7.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The June 2021 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
Link to:
- 1884-M sovereign, shield reverse
- 1884-M sovereign, St. George reverse
- 1884-S sovereign, shield reverse
- 1884-S sovereign, St. George reverse
- 1885-M ½ sovereign
- 1885-M sovereign, St. George reverse
- 1885-M sovereign, Shield reverse
- 1885-S sovereign, shield reverse
- Great Britain 1885 sovereign
- 1886-M sovereign, St. George reverse
- 1886-S half sovereign
- 1886-S sovereign, shield reverse
- Coins and currency dated 1885