Sovereign 1887 Melbourne, first legend, hooked J, lower close (DISH M4)

Victoria (1837-1901), gold Sovereign, 1887, Melbourne, Australia Mint, Golden Jubilee style bust facing left, small crown and veil on head, pearl earring and 13 pearl necklace, raised J.E.B. initials lower and closer on truncation with hooked J, initials of engraver J Edgar Boehm, first abbreviated Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, VICTORIA D:G: BRITT: REG: F:D: rev. struck en medaille, St George and dragon right, horse with short tail, broken lance to left on ground-line, tiny WWP under lance, initials of William Wellesley Pole, Master of Mint when design introduced, M mint mark at centre of ground-line, date in exergue, initials B.P to upper right, for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled (DISH M4 R4; Marsh 131B; S.3867). A little weak on shoulder, raised die flaw along top of Queen's name, otherwise extremely fine and very rare.

DISH variety M4 has the same estimated 4.75% output for the year as varieties DISH M1, M2 and M3. This coin does however seem to survive today in greater numbers than the other three perhaps due to hoarding. It is interesting to note that this obverse die developed a very noticeable die crack around the top of the word VICTORIA, and most examples seen have this flaw. There was no example in the "Bentley Collection" sold at Baldwin 2012-13, but it was present in the "Quartermaster Collection", lot 126, sold at Monetarium, Australia in June 2009.

Provenance:

Ex The Park House Collection, St James Auction 32, 10^th May 2015, lot 284.

Sold as part of the David Iverson Collection on the 130th anniversary of the Jubilee head Sovereign - coin JH30