½ Sovereign - Victoria
Australia • ½ Sovereign • Gold (.917) • 1857–1866
- Denomination
- ½ Sovereign
- Issuer
- Australia
- Struck
- 1857–1866
- Composition
- Gold (.917)
- Currency
- Pound
- Weight
- 3.976 g
- Diameter
- 19 mm
- Catalog refs
- KM 3 · Fr 10a
Where to find one
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Where it came from
The 1857 half sovereign was minted at the Sydney Mint, which had opened in 1855 as the first branch of the Royal Mint outside of Britain. Its establishment was a direct response to the gold rushes of the 1850s, allowing the burgeoning colony of New South Wales to convert raw gold into currency locally rather than shipping it to London. This particular issue features the 'Type I' design, characterized by the 'Sydney' mint mark prominently displayed on the reverse within the wreath, distinguishing it from contemporary British-minted counterparts.
The design features the young head of Queen Victoria, a portrait by William Wyon that remained a staple of British coinage for decades. The reverse showcases a distinctive crown and the words 'Australia' and 'Sydney Mint', marking a departure from the traditional St. George and the Dragon motif. This specific design was utilized until 1870, when the Sydney Mint transitioned to the standard British imperial reverse designs, making these early colonial issues highly significant as both legal tender and symbols of Australian economic autonomy.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About ½ Sovereign - Victoria
½ Sovereign - Victoria is a coin in the Coins catalog on collecto.rs. Australia • ½ Sovereign • Gold (.917) • 1857–1866. Catalog data is sourced from Numista. No collectors on collecto.rs publicly track this coin yet — adding yours would make you the first.
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Where does the ½ Sovereign - Victoria catalog entry come from?
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