Australia 1890-S sovereign
This specimen was lot 1711 in Jean Elsen sale 112 (Brussels, March 2012) where it sold for € 650 (about US$1,016 including buyer's fee). The catalog description[1] noted,
"AUSTRALIE, Victoria (1837-1901), AV souverain, 1890 S, Sydney. Petits coups. presque Superbe. (Australia, queen Victora, 1837-1901, gold sovereign of 1890, Sydney mint. Small nicks, extremely fine.)"
This "jubilee head" type was struck 1887-93 at the Sydney and Melbourne mints. The shield reverse used 1871-87 was retired. The Sydney mint was opened in 1855 to strike the gold found in Australia and was not employed to strike ordinary circulation coinage until 1920.
Recorded mintage: 2,808,000.
Specification: 7.99 g, 0.917 fine gold, .2354 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: S-3868; Fr-19; KM-10.
- 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]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 112, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2012.
Link to: