Australia 1893-S sovereign Fr-23
This specimen was lot 33020 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, May 2024), where it sold for $528. The catalog description[1] noted, "AUSTRALIA. Sovereign, 1893-S. Sydney Mint. Victoria. PCGS Genuine--Scratch. Despite the noted scratch which can be seen on the reverse, this example is brightly lustrous, with charming details and limited signs of handling." 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. This is the first issue of the "veiled head," which was used on the sovereign 1893-1901.
Recorded mintage: 1,346,000 plus proofs.
Specification: 7.98 g, 0.917 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, reeded edge, 0.2354 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: S-3877; Fr-23; KM-13.
- 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.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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, May 2024 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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