Australia 1895-S sovereign
The first specimen was lot 22239 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2019), where it sold for $384. The catalog description[1] noted, "AUSTRALIA. Sovereign, 1895-S. Sydney Mint. Victoria. PCGS AU-58 Gold Shield. Attractive with abundant remaining luster and strong peripheral orange peel toning." The second specimen was lot 1038 in Sincona sale 59 (Zürich, October 2019), where it sold for 500 CHF (about US$606 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[2] noted,
"Australien, Victoria, 1837-1901. Sovereign 1895 S, Sydney. Old head. Sehr schön-vorzüglich. (Australia, Victoria, 1837-1901, sovereign of 1895, Sydney mint, old head. Very fine-extremely fine.)"
This "veiled head" type was struck 1893-1901 at the Sydney, Perth and Melbourne mints. The jubilee head used 1887-93 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: 2,758,000.
Specification: 7.99 g, 0.917 fine gold, .2354 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: S-3877; Fr-23; 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, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The August 2019 Chicago ANA Auction: World Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2019.
- [2]Richter, Jürg, Sincona Auction 59: Gold and Silver Coins and Medals; Coins and Medals from Switzerland, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2019.
Link to:
- 1894-S sovereign
- 1895-M sovereign
- 1896-S sovereign
- Coins and currency dated 1895
- return to coins of Australia