1887 Sydney Proof Jubilee Head Half Sovereign PCGS PR63DCAM

S-3871A, with plain edge. As proof British gold sovereigns and half sovereigns become increasingly popular, it makes sense to examine whether gold proofs from Australia deserve the same attention. After all, they too were issued under the authority of the Royal Mint in London, bear the same designs, and have the same notional face values. Unlike the Royal Mint issues, however, Australian gold sovereigns and half sovereigns were issued in tiny numbers, often for VIPs. Indeed, while many British proofs were issued commercially and number in the hundreds, all Australian proof sovereigns and halves are excessively rare, with mintages in very low single digits: Some years are known by one or two examples, and, in many cases, certain dates haven’t been seen on the market in decades. The coin photographed above is an 1887 plain edge proof half sovereign from Sydney. While “a few” examples were minted, according to researcher David Iverson, only one example has appeared on the market in the last twenty years. That coin, on offer here, appeared in a Jaggard’s advertisement in 2000 as part of a proof sovereign and half sovereign pair. The pair was priced at $51,000, and subsequently sold. To my knowledge, the coin has since been off the open market, only to surface again last year, at which time PCGS certified it PR63DC. As indicated by the “Deep cameo” designation, the surfaces are resplendent with deep, pooling lustre, while the frosting is rich and original, and completely undisturbed. There are light die polishing lines evident in the open fields, but these are mentioned for accuracy only and don’t detract from the appearance of the coin. (Collectors of British proofs would be familiar with die polish lines, which occur on many early British proofs, especially the larger coins, where the lines are more detectable.) Overall, with the recent rise in values of British gold proof coins, Australian proofs have never been more relatively affordable, and if you believe some of the collector interest in British proofs is likely to rub off on Australian-minted proofs (which are in all respects British coins, anyway), then this is a coin for you. Call +61 421 229 821 to discuss. Professional Coin Grading Service is the global leader in coin authentication and grading. With over 60 million coins graded and counting, PCGS is trusted by collectors, dealers, and investors to certify authenticity, protect value, and elevate market confidence. This is a direct conversion of the 70-point PCGS grade to a 10-point scale, intended to present the grade in a more intuitive format for newer collectors. It is not our personal opinion or an attempt at regrading the coin to a different standard. To understand how the 70-point scale converts to a 10-point scale, [click here](https://drakesterling.com/en/page/the-ten-point-coin-grading-scale). S-3871A, with plain edge. As proof British gold sovereigns and half sovereigns become increasingly popular, it makes sense to examine whether gold proofs from Australia deserve the same attention. After all, they too were issued under the authority of the Royal Mint in London, bear the same designs, and have the same notional face values. Unlike the Royal Mint issues, however, Australian gold sovereigns and half sovereigns were issued in tiny numbers, often for VIPs. Indeed, while many British proofs were issued commercially and number in the hundreds, all Australian proof sovereigns and halves are excessively rare, with mintages in very low single digits: Some years are known by one or two examples, and, in many cases, certain dates haven’t been seen on the market in decades. The coin photographed above is an 1887 plain edge proof half sovereign from Sydney. While “a few” examples were minted, according to researcher David Iverson, only one example has appeared on the market in the last twenty years. That coin, on offer here, appeared in a Jaggard’s advertisement in 2000 as part of a proof sovereign and half sovereign pair. The pair was priced at $51,000, and subsequently sold. To my knowledge, the coin has since been off the open market, only to surface again last year, at which time PCGS certified it PR63DC. As indicated by the “Deep cameo” designation, the surfaces are resplendent with deep, pooling lustre, while the frosting is rich and original, and completely undisturbed. There are light die polishing lines evident in the open fields, but these are mentioned for accuracy only and don’t detract from the appearance of the coin. (Collectors of British proofs would be familiar with die polish lines, which occur on many early British proofs, especially the larger coins, where the lines are more detectable.) Overall, with the recent rise in values of British gold proof coins, Australian proofs have never been more relatively affordable, and if you believe some of the collector interest in British proofs is likely to rub off on Australian-minted proofs (which are in all respects British coins, anyway), then this is a coin for you. Call +61 421 229 821 to discuss.