Month: April 2026

1881 Sovereign Sydney St George Reverse 1881 Gold Sovereign Sydney – St George – Victoria - 1881 Gold sovereigns have many variations. They can be made in London, Melbourne, Perth or Sydney and can have St George or Shield backs.
1881 Sovereign Melbourne Shield Reverse 1881 Gold Sovereign Melbourne – Shield - Gold sovereigns can be made in London, Melbourne, Perth or Sydney and can also in the same year have combinations of St George or Shield backs. Even the horse can have a short, medium or long tail.
1879 Sovereign London Obverse 1879 Gold Sovereign London - The 1879 Gold Sovereign shows Queen Victoria Young Head by William Wyon is on the obverse. This was a low mintage year. St George is on the reverse.
1878 Sovereign Obverse 1878 Gold Sovereign London - Queen Victoria’s young head can be seen on the Obverse, designed by William Wyon RA, you can find the initials 'WW' on the truncation of the neck.
1874 Sovereign Reverse 1874 Gold Sovereign London (Shield) - The 1874 Gold Sovereign Shield back (St George back was also produced in 1874). Reverse designed by Jean Baptiste Merlen.
1872 1871 Overdate Gold Sovereign Melbourne Shield Obverse 1872/1 Gold Sovereign – Melbourne 2/1 Overdate - This was the first year that Melbourne Mint struck coins. There was a worry that the new dies may not arrive from London, so they modified the unused 1871 dies so as they would read 1872.
1872 Sovereign Young Head Shield Obverse 1872 Gold Sovereign – Young Head Shield Reverse - Young Head. In 1872 you can find gold sovereigns with St George reverse or Shield reverse. The shield versions have the date on the obverse, where the St George has the date on the reverse.
1871 Gold Sovereign Sydney Reverse 1871 Gold Sovereign Sydney – Shield - The 1871 Gold Sovereign Sydney, minted by the Royal Mint Sydney Branch, Australia. Mint mark 'S' on reverse below shield.
1869 Gold Sovereign Reverse RM 1869 Gold Sovereign – Victoria - Reverse is Shield designed by Jean Baptiste Merlen. You can see the die number on the reverse in the space below the wreath (on this coin die is number 28).
1866 Gold Sovereign Victoria Young Head Shield Reverse 1866 Gold Sovereign – Victoria - You can see the die number on the reverse in the space below the wreath (on this coin die is number 45). SCBC: 3853. There is a variant with an overdate of 6/5.