1859 Sydney Mint Sovereign - PCGS MS62

Australia, 1859 Sydney Mint Sovereign -

There are a number of series of sovereigns where almost all the coins in the set in Mint State can be considered rare or scarce. The Sydney Mint sovereign series is one of them. The earlier coins from the series are especially difficult to obtain, with the 1858 being the key. While not as rare as the fabled 1858, the 1859 Sydney Mint sovereign is a desirable date, with just three examples graded by PCGS MS62 or better. The wreath is often somewhat weakly struck (as is common on Sydney Mint sovereigns), while die cracks sometimes fill the obverse legends. Conversely, the reverse strike is usually not too bad, with lots of detail in the crown and wreath. Date set collectors on a budget should aim to acquire an example in at least AU58, while patient connoisseur collectors might have to search for years until an attractive example in MS62 becomes available. The coin photographed above is the second 1859 Sydney Mint sovereign we’ve handled in fourteen years in MS62, and one of the nicest we’ve seen on the market in general. If you’re building a world-class Sydney Mint sovereign set and don’t yet have this date, this is your chance. From a Sydney source.