1866 Sydney Mint Sovereign - PCGS MS62+

Australia, 1866 Sydney Mint Sovereign -

If you collect Sydney Mint sovereigns, there are a couple of sovereign dates you can choose from to get bang for your buck. The 1870 sovereign is one of them, and of course the 1866 coin is the other. Like the 1870 sovereign, the 1866 Sydney Mint sovereign is one of the more available dates, in both low grade and high. But unlike the 1870 coin, the 1866 is usually decently-struck, with much of the high points of the wreath sharp and clear. The 1866 is also more yellow in appearance, owing to the presence of silver in the 22 karat alloy instead of copper on the later Sydney Mint sovereign dates. The example photographed above is in high grade, and although there have been a number graded Mint State by PCGS, the date is still scarce in this grade, especially with the coveted “+” designation.