1861 Sydney Mint Half Sovereign Very Good

Description

The 1861 Sydney Mint Half Sovereign in Very Good condition is, despite its wear, a coin of extraordinary rarity and historical importance. No adjustment in grade diminishes what this coin fundamentally is – one of the earliest Australian half sovereigns ever struck, produced at the Sydney Mint in only its sixth year of operation, and a survivor of more than 160 years of Australian history. That any example of this date exists at all in a collectible state is a remarkable circumstance. The Very Good grade simply tells the honest story of a coin that worked hard in colonial commerce, passing through many hands across a young and energetic society before eventually finding its way to preservation.

Obverse: The laureate young head of Queen Victoria by William Wyon, with the legend VICTORIA D G BRITT REG F D encircling the portrait – the details worn but the composition fully recognisable and the portrait retaining its essential dignity despite the passage of time and commerce.

Reverse: The crowned shield reverse design used on Australian half sovereigns of this period, with the quartered royal arms within a decorated shield and the date 1861 below – the date fully legible and the shield outline clearly present, the central devices worn but identifiable.

Grade: Very Good (VG)