1855 Sydney Mint Sovereign - PCGS XF40

Australia, 1855 Sydney Mint Sovereign -

The 1855 Sydney Mint sovereign is not just Australia’s first official gold coin. It is also the British Empire’s first sovereign minted outside London. Unlike British sovereigns, which bore the much celebrated young bust of Queen Victoria and the quartered shield of Victoria’s Royal Arms on the reverse, the Australian sovereign carried on the reverse the denomination of the coin (another first), along with the name of the branch mint (Sydney) and the word “Australia”, which referred to the geographic region rather than the nation of Australia (which did not exist at the time). Today, they’re widely collected, keenly sought after, and a required coin in any sovereign type set. The example photographed above is an honest coin with even wear on the high points and lustre in the legends and devices. If you’re looking for a decent Sydney Mint sovereign that is value for money, this is your coin.