1868 Victoria Gold Full Sovereign Sydney Mint Coin

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