1856 Sydney Mint Half Sovereign with pattern reverse PCGS F15
Varieties on Australia’s gold coins are widely collected. One of the rarest is the 1856 half sovereign struck with a pattern reverse die. The pattern reverse has several distinctive differences next to the reverse design used on the circulating coins, with the most identifiable being a missing berry above the “L” of “HALF”. There are other differences around the shape of the wreath and placement of the leaves; there are also two or three berries to the left and right of the ribbon on the pattern reverse that are not present on the standard design. The number of coins that were minted is not known, but fewer than a dozen examples have been sighted. If you are a serious half sovereign collector seeking to truly complete a set of half sovereigns, the 1856 half sovereign with pattern reverse is an essential coin. 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).