1856 Sydney Mint Type I Half Sovereign Very Fine
| We Last Sold This Item For: | $2,130.00 |
|---|---|
| Last Sold On: | 28/10/2024 |
| # Sold In Past 12 Months: | 1 |
1856 Sydney Mint Type I Half Sovereign Very Fine
Obverse: Type II bust of Victoria to left, date below
Reverse: AUSTRALIA within wreath, denomination below
Diameter: 22.00mm | Weight: 7.99g | Purity: 91.67 | AGW: 0.2354 ozt
Mintage: 478,000
This key-date half has great detail in the hair and wreath.
The PCGS designation for this coin advises that it has been removed from a mount.
I am not able to see any evidence on the face of the coin either side, and as we aren't able to remove it from the slab to examine it, I'm going to presume there may be some indication of that on the rim of the coin.
Most gold coins that are ex-mount have clear evidence that detracts from the eye appeal that the coin has, this example has none of those detracting features.
A pair of well-applied tin snips will get this coin out of the slab for those that would prefer that!
Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.
PCGS Certificate Number: 84686992
This key-date half has great detail in the hair and wreath.
Following the discovery of gold at Bathurst in 1851, economic growth in Australia exploded.
The amount of coins in use in the colonial economy was simply unable to keep pace with the growing population.
When we consider that the population of Victoria doubled in 1852 alone, we can appreciate just how often the few coins that were in circulation would have been used.
Just 21,000 half sovereigns were struck at the Sydney Mint in 1855, and 478,000 were struck in 1856.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics records that the total population of colonial Australia was 876,729 people in 1856, meaning there were less than two Sydney half sovereigns available per person at that time.
This particular 1856 has a lot of detail remaining in the designs either side - the hairline of Victoria remains strong, as does the wreath across the reverse.
The surfaces are wholly original, the contact marks that can be seen either side are not unusual for a coin in this grade.
Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.
SKU: 23082
Browse our catalog of Type I Sydney Mints below:
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