Australia 1861-S sovereign

Sincona sale 46, lot 13

This specimen was lot 13 in Sincona sale 46 (Zurich, May 2018), where it sold for 2,500 CHF (about US$3,000 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"Victoria, 1837-1901. Sovereign 1861, Sydney. Fast vorzüglich. Überdurchschnittliche Erhaltung. (Australia, Victoria, 1837-1901, sovereign of 1861, Sydney mint. About extremely fine, Extraordinary condition.)"

This type, bearing the portrait of Queen Victoria wearing a banksia wreath, was struck at the Sydney mint 1857-70. The total issue was in the tens of millions yet the type is scarce today, especially in nice condition. 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: 1,626,000.

Specification: 7.99 g, .917 fine gold, .2354 troy oz AGW, this specimen 7.95 g.

Catalog reference: Schl. 818. Fr-10; KM 4.

Source:

• 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.
• 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]Richter, Jürg, Auction 46, Gold Coins and Medals, Zurich: Sincona AG, 2018.

Link to:

• 1860-SY sovereign
• Melbourne and Maldon 1861 penny token KM-Tn262, Warnock Bros.
• 1861(sy) ½ sovereign
• 1862-SY sovereign
• Coins and currency dated 1861