Australia 1879-S 1/2 sovereign

from Stack's Bowers June 2022 Collector's Choice sale, lot 70242

This specimen was lot 70242 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2022), where it sold for $552. The catalog description^[1] noted, "AUSTRALIA. 1/2 Sover[ei]gn, 1879-S. Sydney Mint. Victoria. NGC AU-50. A less commonly encountered date, this example presents some brilliant golden hue and immaculately applied details." This is a common date of a scarce type issued 1871-87. The SCWC notes it as twice the price of the sovereign of 1871-87. It was also minted at Melbourne, starting in 1873.

Recorded mintage: 220,000.

Specification: 3.99 g, 0.917 fine gold.

Catalog reference: S-3862C; Fr-13; KM 5.

Source:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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 June 2022 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients & World Coins - Featuring Selections from the Kings Norton Mint Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.

Link to:

• 1875-S half sovereign
• 1877-M ½ sovereign
• Great Britain 1879 1/2 sovereign
• 1879-M sovereign, St. George reverse
• 1879-S sovereign, St. George reverse
• 1879-S sovereign, shield reverse
• 1880-S ½ sovereign
• Coins and currency dated 1879