1885 Victoria Gold Full Sovereign Sydney Mint Saint George Coin

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1885 Victoria Gold Full Sovereign Sydney Mint Saint George Coin Obverse

Buy a 1885-S Sovereign St George

Collectable St George reverse 1885 gold 'full' Sovereigns from the Sydney mint (S 3858E, Marsh 122). These 22-carat gold coins were struck in Australia at the first overseas branch of the Royal Mint, established in 1855. In the 1880s, the Sydne branch mint was producing gold Sovereigns with two distinct reverse designs. These coins feature the classic Saint George reverse, designed in the early 19th century by Italian artist Benedetto Pistrucci. The obverse shows William Wyon's Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria, created when she was just 18 and still in use on coinage decades later. A tiny 'S' mintmark below the bust identifies these coins as a product of the Sydney mint, from an annual mintage of 1,486,000 'full' Sovereigns, struck in 1885.

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Description Specification Summary

William Wyon's Young Head Portrait

A small 'S' mintmark is shown below the youthful effigy of Queen Victoria, seen on the obverse of this 1885 gold coin, indicating that it was struck at the Sydney mint. The inscription around the bust reads 'VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:'.

Saint George And The Dragon Reverse

Benedetto Pistrucci's classic Saint George and the dragon design is featured on the reverse of this Sydney mint coin, which has the date (1885) shown below and the artist's 'B.P.' initials to the right.

22-Carat Gold Branch Mint Coins

Gold Sovereigns, including branch mint coins, are struck in 22-carat gold to a historic specification. These sought-after coins weigh approximately 7.98 grams and measure 22.05 millimetres from milled edge to milled edge.

How Many 1885-S Sovereigns Were Minted?

The Sydney branch of the Royal Mint struck 1,486,000 gold 'full' Sovereigns in 1885. This figure includes both shield-reverse Sovereigns and these Saint George and the dragon coins. Further 1885 Sovereigns were minted in London and in Melbourne.

Collecting Sydney Mint Sovereigns

An 1885-S Sovereign is an important addition to any branch mint Sovereign collection. Serious numismatists find Sydney Sovereigns, particularly Young Head coins, a challenging and rewarding area of coin collecting, thanks to the two reverses and numerous variants.

Browse the range: Sydney Mint Gold Sovereigns