Australia 1897-S 1/2 sovereign
This specimen was lot 20130 in Stack's Bowers ANA Auction (Denver, CO, August 2017), where it sold for $1,057.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "AUSTRALIA. 1/2 Sovereign, 1897-S. NGC MS-62. A very difficult type to locate in mint state. The sole certified example at this numeric grade with only one example certified finer (MS-64) at either NGC or PCGS. Good strike, frosty luster, lightly toned and quite attractive." This type was struck at Sydney (shown here), Perth and Melbourne 1893-1901 in moderate numbers. It is not rare tho mintages are about one-tenth the accompanying sovereign. Some dates were issued only in proof and are rare.
Recorded mintage: 230,000.
Specification: 3.99 g, 0.917 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-27; KM-12; S-3881A.
- 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]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio and Chris Chatigny, The August 2017 Denver ANA Auction: Ancients, Selections from The Richard Stuart Collection & World Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2017.
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