Victoria 1845 Sovereign Roman type I resulting from 1 over inverted 1

Victoria (1837-1901), gold Sovereign, 1845, variety with 1 in date over inverted 1 giving an impression of a Roman I in date, high 45 in date, first young filleted head left, W.W. raised on truncation for engraver William Wyon, date below, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, VICTORIA DEI GRATIA, rev. crowned quartered shield of arms, laurel wreath surrounding, emblems below, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:, weight 7.96g (cf.Bentley 51; cf. Hill 28C; S.3852). Toned, dig on cheek, other light surface marks, otherwise practically very fine, and very rare.

Calendar year mintage 3,800,845.

The Latin legends translates on obverse as "Victoria by the Grace of God," and on the reverse "Queen of the Briton's, Defender of the Faith."

The known variety of Roman I in date for 1845 is the mistaken use of a true letter I punch as demonstrated by lot 51 in the Bentley Collection. The coin herewith is the first we have encountered with the 1 of date struck over an inverted 1 defined by the fact the upper right serif is a step down from the upper limb of the 1 as it manifests from the inverted 1 struck underneath. This is certainly a different obverse die from the Bentley 51 coin not just because of this phenomena; but also as the 45 of the date is arranged higher than the Bentley coin which has all date figures generally of good alignment. This coin will list as a new entry in the next edition of the Marsh book in due course as 28E.