1 Sovereign (sold for $5089.0)

1 Sovereign Australia (1788 - 1939) Gold Victoria (1819 - 1901)

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G BRITISH COINS, MILLED GOLD SOVEREIGNS, Victoria, Gold Sovereign, 1880M, third young head left, w.w. in relief on truncation, date below, rev crowned quartered shield of arms within laurel wreath, mint letter M below, emblems below (Bentley 749; McD 128; QM 59 R3; Marsh 61 R2; KM 6; Fr 12; S 3854). Scuffed with heavy surface marks, two scratches on neck, otherwise with underlying brilliance, about extremely fine, very rare. Calendar year mintage 3,052,800, includes St George reverse design, 654 of this total went for pyx trial. This is the third most difficult to acquire Victorian shield reverse for the Melbourne mint, though 1880 represented the highest calendar year mintage of the type. This was the first year the Melbourne mint had struck shield reverse type Sovereigns in six years and they were no doubt in demand and must have had a very high attrition rate as the survival rate is very low today. From 1881 to 1887 the shield reverse with the fourth bust style comes into use at Melbourne just like at Sydney. The main defining characteristics are the much higher hairline, which if extended up would meet the right side of the letter A in the legend. Behind the ear there is a distinctly longer curling strand of hair compared to those either side of it. The hair at the rear of the hair bun is perhaps a little more finely engraved in the strands and there is a slightly larger gap from the G of legend to the hair bun. Additionally the tip of the neck at the front is more sharply pointed than the previous busts. £2000-2500

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