1881 Melbourne Shield Reverse Sovereign - PCGS MS63+

Australia, 1881 Melbourne Shield Reverse Sovereign -

There are a couple of rare shield sovereign dates in the Australian shield sovereign series. The 1886M shield sovereign is the rarest, of course, followed by the 1887M and 1880M shield sovereigns. Fourth on the shield sovereign rarities list is the 1881M. The number of sovereigns minted by Melbourne in 1881 was 2,234,800 pieces, but this is a combined figure that includes the St George sovereigns issued that year. The exact split between shield sovereigns and St George sovereigns is not known, but it is clear that the shields were struck in far smaller number. The numbers on the PCGS population report bear this out, with over twice as many St George types graded than the shield back. If we compare Mint State coins, the shield back type is five times rarer than the St George type. I’ve handled only four mint state pieces since 2007, and all but one have had very silken, reflective surfaces. The strike is usually superior, with a fully struck up Irish harp and visible kiss curl. The eye appeal is generally pleasing. The coin photographed above meets all the expectations of an 1881M shield reverse sovereign, especially where eye appeal is concerned, and is the single-finest graded by PCGS at MS63+ (6/20).  If you are looking for a high-grade, scarce date type coin, but don’t want to spend high five figures on an 1886M or 1887M shield sovereign, the coin photographed above is your coin.