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FI22465

Victoria 1888-M Sovereign Melbourne Mint, first legend

Victoria (1837-1901), gold Sovereign, 1888, Melbourne Mint, Jubilee bust left, J.E.B. on truncation for engraver J Edgar Boehm, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, VICTORIA D:G: BRITT: REG: F:D:, rev. St. George and Dragon right, date in exergue, small B.P. initials to upper right for designer Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled, 7.96g (Bentley 794; DISH M9 R4; Marsh 132; S.3867A). Toned with many surface marks, digs on mouth and below chin, overall fine and very rare.

Calendar year mintage 2,830,000.

The Latin legend translates as "Victoria by the Grace of God, Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith".

This variety of coin exists in very small numbers. The Melbourne branch mint had produced around half a million first legend Jubilee head sovereigns dated 1887, and had then switched to producing the later second legend coins. Production at Melbourne seems to have been more regimented than at Sydney, so it is unlikely that a first legend obverse die was used in error. We can only assume that this was about not wasting usable and therefore valuable dies, so some 1888 dated pieces were coupled with a first legend obverse.

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