1855 Sydney Mint Half Sovereign

For the discerning collector, certain classic Australian coin rarities are essential. The 1930 penny is an obvious choice, followed by the Adelaide Pound, square pennies, the 1922/1 overdate threepence, the Holey Dollar, and the Dump. However, one coin often overlooked—perhaps due to its extreme rarity—is the 1855 Sydney Mint half sovereign, Australia’s first half sovereign. With a mintage of just 21,000 coins, this coin was theoretically in circulation for 76 years before being withdrawn at the end of the gold standard. However, the half sovereign was a heavily-used denomination, quickly becoming underweight due to circulation and handling. As a result, banks withdrew and melted thousands, leaving fewer than 100 known survivors today—some estimates suggest even fewer. PCGS has certified just 13 examples (3/25), with the finest graded at AU50, showing wear from circulation. The specimen offered here is an honest VG08, making it one of the more affordable options for collectors. Despite even wear, subtle details remain, including traces of Queen Victoria’s headband and faint strands of hair on the effigy. A light hairline on the obverse and a barely noticeable edge bump at 11 o’clock on the reverse do little to detract from its appeal. Most importantly, unlike many early worn half sovereigns, this piece is free from bending, buckling, cleaning, tooling, or other unnatural damage. Price-wise, this 1855 half sovereign is in the same range as an average 1930 penny or a Mint State Adelaide Pound. However, both of those coins are significantly more common—thousands of 1930 pennies and hundreds of Adelaide Pounds exist in the market. By contrast, the 1855 Sydney Mint half sovereign is truly rare, making it an exceptional and undervalued piece in comparison.