1892 Queen Victoria Gold Full Sovereign Coin Jubilee Head Sydney Mint Australia

Sydney mint Sovereign, struck with a Jubilee Head portrait of Queen Victoria in 1892.

Jubilee Head Queen Victoria Portrait

Several portraits were used on the Sovereigns issued during the long reign of Queen Victoria. Among the most controversial and short-lived is the Jubilee Head.

It gets its name because it was introduced in 1887: the year of Victoria's Golden Jubilee, marking fifty years on the throne. The work of sculptor, Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, the Jubilee Head shows the Queen wearing the Small Diamond Crown and a long lace veil. The veil was a nod to the state of morning she entered after the death of her husband, Prince Albert, but the tiny crown was mocked by contemporary pundits as it appeared it might topple off at any moment. The design was removed from British and colonial currency after only a few short years.

The artist's initials appear to Victoria's shoulder and the legend reads: 'VICTORIA D: G: BRITT: REG: F: D:'.

Boehm's effigy is paired with a more enduring coinage design: Benedetto Pistrucci's interpretation of the legend of Saint George and the dragon, created decades before for the first modern Sovereigns. The date appears below the cowering dragon, trampled below the hooves of St George's horse.

Sovereigns Of The Sydney Mint

During the early years of Victoria's reign, Sovereigns were only minted in London. This changed when gold was discovered in New South Wales, triggering a gold rush and calls for a new mint to be established in the Australian colony. The Sydney Mint began operations in May 1855 and had struck a million Sovereigns from Aussie gold by December 1856.

Initially, Sydney Sovereigns featured unique royal portraits and Australia-specific reverses which declared their origin and their denomination - 'ONE SOVEREIGN' - a first for these gold coins. Later, the obverse and reverse designs of Australian Sovereigns were brought in line with those minted in England, identified only by a tiny mint mark which on those coins with a St George reverse appears on the ground below the dragon.

The Sydney Mint would later be joined by branches in Melbourne and Perth as well as facilities in Canada, South Africa and India. The Sydney branch survived the federation of Australia but closed in January 1927 ending a fascinating period in colonial coinage history.

Historic Queen Victoria Sovereigns

Marsh reports that some 2,837,000 gold 'full' Sovereigns were struck in Sydney in 1892, identified by an 'S' mint mark on the reverse, absent from London mint coins. Like all branch mint Sovereigns, those struck at the Sydney mint can be difficult to find, particularly in high grade. All our historic Sovereigns are individually authenticated and graded by our expert staff.

Victorian Sovereigns conform to the precise specifications established for these coins when they were first issued in 1817. Each one is composed of 7.98 grams of 22 carat gold and has a diameter of 22.05 millimetres. Their gold content means that these coins are free from VAT in the UK and the EU while their face value of £1 / One Pound lends them an important Capital Gains Tax exemption.

Where Can I Sell A 1892 Sydney Sovereign?

Got a historic branch mint Sovereign you are looking to sell? We buy Sydney mint Sovereigns and other rare gold coins for market leading prices. Visit our Sell Your Coins page for more information or contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote for your Queen Victoria Sovereign.