Struck at Australia’s first official mint, established in Sydney.
Issued during the record-breaking reign of Queen Victoria.
Designed by Leonard Wyon, of the famous Wyon family of engravers.
Offered in highly collectable Fine to Very Fine condition.
A genuine artefact of the Australian Gold Rush – buy now!
Specifications
Metal
Gold
Country of Issue
Australia
Denomination
Sovereign
Issued By
Sydney Mint
Delivery and Shipping
For In Stock items, our estimated delivery time is 2–3 weeks within Australia and 3–6 weeks internationally.
Orders are typically dispatched within 14 days of purchase, subject to payment confirmation, stock availability and any required processing.
Every order is carefully packed by our experienced fulfilment team using secure packaging designed to help protect your collectables during transit. Tracking details will be provided once your order has been dispatched.
Queen Victoria 1867 Sydney Mint Sovereign Type II Fine-Very Fine
$1,796.80 AUD
Unit price /
Unavailable
An irresistible opportunity to own a piece of Australia’s Gold Rush history, we are proud to present the 1867 Sydney Mint Sovereign!
Part of Australia’s first sovereign series, and struck at Australia’s first official mint, the 1867 Sydney Mint Sovereign is unquestionably scarce today. Apart from the number simply lost in the 159 years since struck, and those falling victim to the profiteer’s melting pot, the 22-carat gold 1867 Sydney Mint Sovereign is difficult to find for one other very important reason.
Although originally declared official legal tender in New South Wales only, Sydney Mint Sovereigns soon circulated in other colonies and, indeed, overseas. As a result, British authorities declared the Sydney Mint Sovereign legal tender in Britain in 1866. Transformed from Australian circulating currency to international commodity, with a huge amount of coins shipped to Britain, this change in policy contributed substantially to the scarcity of all later Sydney Mint Sovereign dates – including the 1867.
Surprisingly affordable, given its inextricable link with the Gold Rush era, the few 1867 Sydney Mint Sovereigns we have available are in highly collectable Fine to Very Fine condition. Don’t miss this golden opportunity – click add to cart now!
Australia’s first official mint…
And Australia’s first sovereigns!
Australia’s key role in the history of the sovereign began following the 1850s Gold Rush. Quick to take advantage of the vast quantities of gold unearthed in the colonies, Britain established the first overseas branch of the Royal Mint in 1853, with Sydney winning the right to establish Australia’s first official mint.
The Sydney Mint was domiciled in the south wing of Sydney’s Rum Hospital. This hospital had been built from 1811 to 1816 under the stewardship of Australia’s fifth governor, the iconic Lachlan Macquarie. Officially opened on May 14, 1855, the Sydney Mint struck Australia’s first sovereign just a few weeks later, on June 23, 1855.
Both the obverse and reverse of the Sydney Mint Sovereign were designed by Leonard Wyon. Of the famous Wyon clan of engravers, Leonard gave the portrait of Queen Victoria a distinctively Australian flavour, with the monarch depicted with a wreath of banksia. One of Australia’s most distinctive coins, the words ‘SYDNEY MINT’, ‘AUSTRALIA’ and ‘ONE SOVEREIGN’ were proudly emblazoned on the reverse. Thus, this coin was not only the sole sovereign type to carry the name of the mint and the denomination, but referred to a political entity – Australia – that would not technically exist for nearly 50 years!
Authorities in Great Britain had decided that the Sydney Mint Sovereign should have designs entirely different to the traditional British sovereigns for one very specific reason. Intended to be legal tender in New South Wales only, the different designs made it easy to distinguish the allegedly ‘inferior’ colonial gold coins with their allegedly ‘superior’ British counterparts.
British authorities intended that the Sydney Mint Sovereigns would circulate only in New South Wales, but, very quickly, the coin was accepted in all other Australian colonies. Before too long, they were accepted as far afield as Britain, Hong Kong, Ceylon and Newfoundland! The great irony is that the Sydney Mint Sovereign was a victim of its own popularity. British authorities were shocked to find that colonial issues were actually preferred to Royal Mint Sovereigns!
Although supplanted by standard British designs from 1871 as a result, the Sydney Mint Sovereign will forever hold a crucial place in Australian history. Indeed, more than just a coin, the Sydney Mint Sovereign is living history – physical evidence of the Gold Rush that gripped the colony in the 1850s, and inspired the march to Federation in 1901.
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Queen Victoria 1867 Sydney Mint Sovereign Type II Fine-Very Fine
$1,796.80 AUD
Unit price /
Unavailable
Issued By
Sydney Mint
Country of Issue
Australia
Year of Issue
1867
Denomination
Sovereign
Grade
N/A
Metal
Gold
Quality
N/A
Dimensions
N/A
Mintage
2,370,000
Diameter (mm)
22.05
Brand
N/A
Scale
N/A
Release Date
N/A
Race team
N/A
ETA
N/A
Limited Edition
N/A
An irresistible opportunity to own a piece of Australia’s Gold Rush history, we are proud to present the 1867 Sydney Mint Sovereign!
Part of Australia’s first sovereign series, and struck at Australia’s first official mint, the 1867 Sydney Mint Sovereign is unquestionably scarce today. Apart from the number simply lost in the 159 years since struck, and those falling victim to the profiteer’s melting pot, the 22-carat gold 1867 Sydney Mint Sovereign is difficult to find for one other very important reason.
Although originally declared official legal tender in New South Wales only, Sydney Mint Sovereigns soon circulated in other colonies and, indeed, overseas. As a result, British authorities declared the Sydney Mint Sovereign legal tender in Britain in 1866. Transformed from Australian circulating currency to international commodity, with a huge amount of coins shipped to Britain, this change in policy contributed substantially to the scarcity of all later Sydney Mint Sovereign dates – including the 1867.
Surprisingly affordable, given its inextricable link with the Gold Rush era, the few 1867 Sydney Mint Sovereigns we have available are in highly collectable Fine to Very Fine condition. Don’t miss this golden opportunity – click add to cart now!
Australia’s first official mint…
And Australia’s first sovereigns!
Australia’s key role in the history of the sovereign began following the 1850s Gold Rush. Quick to take advantage of the vast quantities of gold unearthed in the colonies, Britain established the first overseas branch of the Royal Mint in 1853, with Sydney winning the right to establish Australia’s first official mint.
The Sydney Mint was domiciled in the south wing of Sydney’s Rum Hospital. This hospital had been built from 1811 to 1816 under the stewardship of Australia’s fifth governor, the iconic Lachlan Macquarie. Officially opened on May 14, 1855, the Sydney Mint struck Australia’s first sovereign just a few weeks later, on June 23, 1855.
Both the obverse and reverse of the Sydney Mint Sovereign were designed by Leonard Wyon. Of the famous Wyon clan of engravers, Leonard gave the portrait of Queen Victoria a distinctively Australian flavour, with the monarch depicted with a wreath of banksia. One of Australia’s most distinctive coins, the words ‘SYDNEY MINT’, ‘AUSTRALIA’ and ‘ONE SOVEREIGN’ were proudly emblazoned on the reverse. Thus, this coin was not only the sole sovereign type to carry the name of the mint and the denomination, but referred to a political entity – Australia – that would not technically exist for nearly 50 years!
Authorities in Great Britain had decided that the Sydney Mint Sovereign should have designs entirely different to the traditional British sovereigns for one very specific reason. Intended to be legal tender in New South Wales only, the different designs made it easy to distinguish the allegedly ‘inferior’ colonial gold coins with their allegedly ‘superior’ British counterparts.
British authorities intended that the Sydney Mint Sovereigns would circulate only in New South Wales, but, very quickly, the coin was accepted in all other Australian colonies. Before too long, they were accepted as far afield as Britain, Hong Kong, Ceylon and Newfoundland! The great irony is that the Sydney Mint Sovereign was a victim of its own popularity. British authorities were shocked to find that colonial issues were actually preferred to Royal Mint Sovereigns!
Although supplanted by standard British designs from 1871 as a result, the Sydney Mint Sovereign will forever hold a crucial place in Australian history. Indeed, more than just a coin, the Sydney Mint Sovereign is living history – physical evidence of the Gold Rush that gripped the colony in the 1850s, and inspired the march to Federation in 1901.
