Victoria 1888-S Sovereign Sydney Mint, DISH S8 R6, PCGS MS61

Victoria (1837-1901),gold Sovereign, 1888, Sydney, Australia Mint, Golden Jubilee style bust facing left, small crown and veil on head, pearl earring and 13 pearl necklace, J.E.B. initials raised 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, S mint mark at centre of ground-line, date in exergue, initials B.P to upper right, for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled (DISH S8 R6; Marsh 138H R7; Bull EGC 1569 R5; S.3868A).Toned with surface marks both sides, has been graded and slabbed by PCGS as MS61, of the highest rarity, no example was present in the Iverson Collection and the only the fifth time we have ever offered one for sale, less than five known at present.

PCGS certification 518353.61/39394626 labelled as 1^st obverse small spread JEB.

Mintage unknown, presumably very low.

Ongoing research and investigation since the publication of "The Jubilee Head Gold Sovereign 1887-1893" has revealed that of the six obverse Jubilee head dies with first legend and the individual hooked J, with the J.E.B. initials punched on by hand and sent to Sydney in 1887; only five have ever been identified coupled with an 1887 reverse die. This 1888 Sydney coin has a small spread hooked J type J.E.B. initials that is similar to the S3 obverse die for 1887. Research into the 1888 hooked J first legend varieties is ongoing with David Iverson.

The usually encountered hooked J first legend obverse for 1888 is of course the very rare S7 variation which is different to all the five individual 1887 variations, that being the sixth obverse die which seemingly was never used for a coin dated 1887, but perhaps there is still always a chance of one turning up.