Sovereign 1887 Melbourne, second legend (DISH M8)

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 close on truncation with right angled J, initials of engraver J Edgar Boehm, second abbreviated Latin legend, G: closer to crown, 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 M8 R; Marsh 131; S.3867B). A little weak on shoulder with surface marks in the fields, almost extremely fine and rare.

The Melbourne branch mint was far more proactive than Sydney during the second half of 1887, and urgently requested more Jubilee head dies from the Royal Mint in London once production had started. They produced about three times more Jubilee head sovereigns than Sydney dated 1887. They therefore started using the later second legend obverse dies late in 1887. The output of this variation is estimated at around 18% of the 940,000 jubilee heads produced during 1887.

Sold as part of the David Iverson Collection on the 130th anniversary of the Jubilee head Sovereign - coin JH32