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Saint George reverse 1882 Sydney mint gold 'full' Sovereigns (S 3852E, Marsh 119). 1,298,000 Sovereigns were issued by the Sydney branch of the Royal Mint in 1882. This figure includes both coins with the shield reverse and those with the classic Saint George and the dragon reverse, designed by Benedetto Pistrucci. It is this image of England's patron saint that appears on the reverse of these 1882 coins. Unlike on later issues, the 'S' mintmark does not appear on the groundline above the date but can instead be seen below the portrait of Queen Victoria on the reverse. This is the so-called Young Head bust of Victoria, designed by William Wyon. This youthful effigy was a perennial presence on Victoria's coinage and was beloved by the Queen.
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William Wyon's Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria can be seen on the obverse of 1882-S Sovereigns. These coins have an 'S' mintmark below the bust and an inscription that reads 'VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:'. The artist's 'W.W.' initials appear on the truncation of the neck.
These Sydney Sovereigns feature Benedetto Pistrucci's Saint George and the dragon design, depicting England's patron saint on a rearing horse. The date (1882) is shown below.
Sydney 'full' Sovereigns like this 1882 issue are struck in 22-carat gold, the same as their London and Melbourne mint counterparts. These coins weigh approximately 7.98 grams and measure 22.05 millimetres from milled edge to milled edge.
1,298,000 Sovereigns were issued by the Sydney branch mint in 1882. This figure includes both these Saint George reverse coins and 1882-S shield-back issues, both of which are highly collectable.
Collecting branch mint Sovereigns can be a rewarding exercise for serious numismatists. The early Young Head issues are of particular interest, given the two distinct reverse designs and the extensive range of known variants.
Browse the range: Sydney Mint Gold Sovereigns
