1872/1 Melbourne Shield Reverse Overdate Sovereign - PCGS MS61

Australia, 1872/1 Melbourne Shield Reverse Overdate Sovereign -

Of all the overdates across the sovereign series, the 1872/1 Melbourne is one of the most famous. Born in the tumultuous early days of the new Melbourne Mint, this popular overdate sovereign owes its existence to a shipwreck, poor engraving work by a private jeweller, and some leftover dies from the previous year (a year when no Melbourne sovereigns were minted). The result is a rather obvious overdate sovereign that has remained keenly sought-after by sovereign and variety coin collectors for decades. The example photographed here is the finest we’ve handled, and the highest grade example we’ve seen on the market for a number of years. Graded PCGS MS61, it will make a suitable addition to a sovereign variety set, shield sovereign date set, or sovereign type set.