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Victoria 1853 Sovereign, with 3 struck over a 5. Ex Bentley lot 991
Victoria (1837-1901), gold Sovereign, 1853, the 3 of date over 5, second larger young filleted head left, W.W. raised on truncation for engraver William Wyon, date below with unusual overstrike, 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 (Bentley 991 this coin; Marsh 36B R4; S.3852C). Toned, quite surface marked with nicks, otherwise good very fine and still the only example the cataloguer has seen of this elusive and clear overdate, extremely rare.
Calendar year mintage 10,597,993.
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."
This variety was caused by the die engraver punching the figure 5 in the die first, then correcting it with the figure 3 over the top. The overdate is very clear and nothing like many of the often seen die flawed dates on 1853 sovereigns.
Provenance:
Ex Bentley Collection, part 2, 8th May 2013, lot 991.
Ex St James Auction 13, 6th May 2010, lot 979 as an 1855 with 5 over 3 which it is not.