Australia 1884-M sovereign Fr-16

from the Stack's Bowers 2020 Collector's Choice sale, lot 70101

This specimen was lot 70101 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, February 2020), where it sold for $456. The catalog description^[1] noted, "AUSTRALIA. Sovereign, 1884-M. Melbourne Mint. Victoria. NGC MS-62. A fully detailed example with illuminating luster in the fields." This "St. George and the dragon" type was struck 1871-87 at the Sydney and Melbourne mints simultaneously with the familiar "shield" type. The SCWC does not attempt to separate the mintages of the two types.

Recorded mintage: 2,942,000 (including the shield reverse).

Specification: 7.99 g, 0.917 fine gold, .2354 troy oz AGW.

Catalog reference: Fr-16; S-3857C; KM-7.

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.
• 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 February 2020 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.

Link to:

• 1883-M sovereign, St. George reverse
• 1884-M ½ sovereign
• 1884-M sovereign, shield reverse
• 1884-S sovereign, shield reverse
• 1884-S sovereign, St. George reverse
• 1885-M sovereign, St. George reverse
• Coins and currency dated 1884