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1868 Victoria Gold Full Sovereign Sydney Mint Coin

1868 Victoria Gold Full Sovereign Sydney Mint Reverse
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1868 Victoria Gold Full Sovereign Sydney Mint Reverse
1868 Victoria Gold Full Sovereign Sydney Mint Obverse

Buy a 1868 Victoria Gold Full Sovereign Sydney Mint Coin

Sydney mint yellow-gold 1868 Queen Victoria Sovereign (Marsh A373, Friedberg 10). In this year, Sydney mint Sovereigns were struck using an experimental alloy containing 8.33% silver. This gives 1868-S Sovereigns a yellow hue, particularly when seen alongside earlier Sydney Sovereigns, which have a warmer, slightly rosey hue. Records show that 1,117,000 of these yellowish Sovereigns were issued, each bearing the popular Banksia Head portrait of Queen Victoria with the instantly recognisable 'AUSTRALIA' reverse. 1868 was an important year in the history of the Australian Sovereign, making these coins a key acquisition for any serious collector of historic gold currency.
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Description Specification Summary

Francis Boyer Miller's Sovereign Experiments

The cool-toned yellowish hue commonly seen in 1868 Sovereigns can be attributed to Francis Boyer Miller, who was an assayer employed by the Sydney mint. His patented process for extracting silver brought the purity of Sydney Sovereigns in line with their British counterparts, resulting in a different colour than earlier Australian coins.

Second Australian Sovereign Bust

1868-S Sovereigns feature Leonard Charles Wyon's distinctively Australian portrait of Queen Victoria, who wears a wreath of banksia flowers as a crown. The date appears below, and the inscription reads 'VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:'.

Australia-Only Sovereign Reverse

The reverse of this Sydney Sovereign features the word 'AUSTRALIA' prominently, surrounded by a laurel wreath with a crown above. The inscription reads 'SYDNEY MINT' with 'ONE SOVEREIGN' below.

How Many 1868-S Sovereigns Were Minted?

Records indicated that 1,117,000 gold Sovereigns were minted in Sydney in 1868. While this figure is comparable to the number of coins struck in London in the same year, these Sydney issues are comparatively scarcer.

Buying Historic Sydney Mint Sovereigns

Early Sydney mint gold Sovereigns saw hard use when they entered into circulation in the Australian colonies. As such, surviving examples, including 1868 coins, are generally found in lower grade with high grade examples highly prized.

Browse the range: Sydney Mint Gold Sovereigns