Coins and Australia - Sovereign 1855 to 1887 - Australian coins price guide and values

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Sovereign - 1855 to 1887 - Price Guide

By the mid-1850's the Government decided that it was about time that an official mint should be set up to convert the plentiful gold stocks into coins of the realm. The first Sydney Mint sovereigns were unique in the history of the British Empire. In a situation which has not been repeated since, the coins carried a design which was completely different from that of the standard British issue.

The Australian ore had a high percentage of silver while the darker tone of the British coin was due to the copper content. Soon they were being accepted with great relish in all the business houses around Australia. From 1868, they were even accepted as legal tender in Canada and Newfoundland. Britain had been accepting the coins since 1863.

In 1871 the first of the new sovereigns appeared from the presses at the Sydney Mint. Both the Shield and St. George reverse designs were struck for the sovereign, while only the Shield reverse for the half sovereign was employed until 1893.

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• Circulated
• Uncirculated

View the grading section to identify grades (G-4, F-12, AU-50, MS,..). You can switch the grades and values to ANDA adjectival standard.

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