Australia 1894-M sovereign
This specimen was lot 74285 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2022), where it sold for $504. The catalog description[1] noted, "AUSTRALIA. Sover[ei]gn, 1894-M. Melbourne Mint. Victoria. NGC MS-61. A handsome Mint State example, delivering full strike and light luster throughout." This "veiled head" type was struck 1893-1901 at the Sydney, Perth and Melbourne mints. The jubilee head used 1887-93 was retired. All the "veiled head" sovereigns are common except the 1899-P. The Melbourne mint was opened in 1872 to strike the gold found in Australia and was not employed to strike ordinary circulation coinage until 1916.
Recorded mintage: 4,166,000 plus proofs.
Specification: 7.99 g, 0.917 fine gold, .2354 troy oz AGW, 21 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: S-3875; Fr-24; KM-13.
- 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 November 2022 Collectors Choice Ancient & World Coins Auction, Featuring the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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