What Are 1859 Ansell Sovereigns?
In 1859, the Royal Mint received a shipment from the gold fields of New South Wales. When annealed in preparation for minting, the consignment was found to be too brittle for use. Further analysis revealed that the alloy contained lead, antimony and arsenic in improper quantities. Using this metal would have risked the Mint's international reputation for top-quality coinage.
George Frederick Ansell (1826-1880), then working in the Mint's Rolling Room, was provided the opportunity to experiment with the dodgy gold. Ansell had trained at the Royal College of Chemistry, then worked at the Royal School of Mines before joining the Royal Mint in 1856 on the recommendation of the Master of the Mint, Thomas Graham FRS.
Applying his chemistry skills, Ansell successfully modified the alloys and was able to produce some 167,539 Sovereigns, reputed to be supremely tough and hard to damage, even with a set of pliers.
The Mint were so pleased with Ansell's work that they gave him a bonus of £100 (that's nearly £10,000 in today's money!).
Read more: What Are 1859 Ansell Gold Sovereigns?
Identifying The Ansell-Ribbon Variation
Ansell Sovereigns can be distinguished from standard 1859 Sovereigns by a double ribbon detail, seen just behind Queen Victoria's ear in the profile portrait by William Wyon that features on their obverse.
Close examination shows Victoria's hair ribbon to have an extra line on Ansell Sovereigns that is not present on other Young Head Sovereigns. That's why you'll sometimes hear these coins referred to as the 'Ansell-Ribbon' variation.
Otherwise these 1859 coins are visually identical in appearance to others issued in the same year. The date appears below the effigy with the legend 'VICTORIA DEI GRATIA' around. The reverse shows Jean Baptiste Merlen's crowned, quartered shield of arms design with oak and laurel leaves and the words 'BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:'. This type of Sovereign is known as a 'Shield Back'.
How Rare Are Ansell Sovereigns?
Ansell's 1859 Sovereigns did circulate, the ribbon detail likely acting as an identifier to see how they would wear.
While 167,539 of these coins were reportedly struck, very few seem to have survived, though it is difficult to pinpoint exactly how rare they actually are. Previous editions of The Standard Catalogue To The Gold Sovereign Series have rated the Ansell-Ribbon Sovereign as 'R4', indicating less than 20 surviving examples and a supremely scarce issue. 2024's third revised edition, however, rates these coins at an 'R2' ('very rare').
While more Ansell Sovereigns may have come to the market in recent years, these coins remain sought-after as a rare variant, representing a fascinating period in the Royal Mint's history.
