1855 Sydney Mint Sovereign

Australia’s earliest coins were made for commerce. They were spent, handled and thrashed, and often used until worn flat. Although the Sydney sovereign was a novel coin in the 1850s, it was too valuable to be hoarded or “put aside”; consequently, most are damaged or otherwise totally clapped out. The present coin, an 1855 Sydney sovereign, is better than most Sydney sovereigns, with some lustre in the devices, and good details to the wreath and Victoria’s hair. It is graded PCGS AU55 (or 8.5 when converted to a ten-point scale), and is bettered by just seven coins. If you’re a casual collector looking for an example of Australia’s first official coin, or a hardened collector frustrated by the search for a mint state 1855 Sydney Mint sovereign, this is your coin.