Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3051 8-9 January 2017
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Australia
Victoria gold Proof Veiled Head 1/2 Sovereign 1893-M PR55 NGC, Melbourne mint, S-3879 (Extremely Rare), KM12, Fr-29, Mcdonald-45. Obv. Crowned, and veiled, old head bust of Queen Victoria left. Rev. St. George, on horseback, riding left and slaying a dragon; date in exergue. The strike is bold, with bright golden patina and nicely mirrored surfaces. A number of light contact marks are visible on both sides. One of the true rarities of all Australian numismatics, the 1893-M Veiled Head 1/2 Sovereign has not appeared at public auction since 2005, when the well-known dealer Barry Winsor purchased a VG/F example in the November Downie's auction for $61,190 Australian dollars. Two examples are held in the Royal Australian Mint Collection, and until this piece surfaced, there were only the two Mint Museum coins, three well circulated examples in private hands, and a single Proof condition example. This delightful example is nicer than all of the known pieces, by far, except the one nice Proof coin in an unnamed collection. A recently discovered example, the offering of this coin is a rather momentous event in Australian numismatic circles, as the only examples sold in recent memory have all been low condition coins. We offer the second finest known 1893-M "veiled head" 1/2 Sovereign and the only example of the issue certified by either NGC, or PCGS.
Estimate: 100000-125000 USD
Victoria gold Proof Veiled Head 1/2 Sovereign 1893-M PR55 NGC, Melbourne mint, S-3879 (Extremely Rare), KM12, Fr-29, Mcdonald-45. Obv. Crowned, and veiled, old head bust of Queen Victoria left. Rev. St. George, on horseback, riding left and slaying a dragon; date in exergue. The strike is bold, with bright golden patina and nicely mirrored surfaces. A number of light contact marks are visible on both sides. One of the true rarities of all Australian numismatics, the 1893-M Veiled Head 1/2 Sovereign has not appeared at public auction since 2005, when the well-known dealer Barry Winsor purchased a VG/F example in the November Downie's auction for $61,190 Australian dollars. Two examples are held in the Royal Australian Mint Collection, and until this piece surfaced, there were only the two Mint Museum coins, three well circulated examples in private hands, and a single Proof condition example. This delightful example is nicer than all of the known pieces, by far, except the one nice Proof coin in an unnamed collection. A recently discovered example, the offering of this coin is a rather momentous event in Australian numismatic circles, as the only examples sold in recent memory have all been low condition coins. We offer the second finest known 1893-M "veiled head" 1/2 Sovereign and the only example of the issue certified by either NGC, or PCGS.
Estimate: 100000-125000 USD