Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 20 26 Sep 2018
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
British Coins, Victoria, sovereign, 1839, young head l., rev. crowned shield of arms within wreath (S.3852; Marsh 23 [R2 in any condition]), brilliant with lustre and choice for this rare date, the obverse showing light handling or tiny abrasions, the reverse especially pleasing, well struck, certified and graded by PCGS as Mint State 62
With a mintage of 503,695 coins, the 1839 sovereign is patently a scarce date, but its actual elusiveness in Mint State gives pause for thought. Population reports from the grading companies may not be proof in and of themselves, but 1838 appears in that census considerably more often than 1839 and seems to be available in higher grades of Mint State as well. Indeed only one other example has been graded MS62 by PCGS. The explanation must be fairly straightforward: the initial issue of 1838 was novel at the time and must have been saved when new by admirers of Victoria as well as by collectors; the next year, 1839, was then just another year, and was probably of little note or interest at the time. The same might be said of 1841, the next year for sovereigns. No contemporary could know of the small mintages of both years, nor were meltings of 1842-1845 and 1930-31 events in which the dates of gold coins were noted or even noticed. This date, 1839, the second year of Victoria's gold, seems to be rarer than references imply, and especially so for coins still retaining mint lustre as seen on this specimen.
(5000-6000 GBP)
With a mintage of 503,695 coins, the 1839 sovereign is patently a scarce date, but its actual elusiveness in Mint State gives pause for thought. Population reports from the grading companies may not be proof in and of themselves, but 1838 appears in that census considerably more often than 1839 and seems to be available in higher grades of Mint State as well. Indeed only one other example has been graded MS62 by PCGS. The explanation must be fairly straightforward: the initial issue of 1838 was novel at the time and must have been saved when new by admirers of Victoria as well as by collectors; the next year, 1839, was then just another year, and was probably of little note or interest at the time. The same might be said of 1841, the next year for sovereigns. No contemporary could know of the small mintages of both years, nor were meltings of 1842-1845 and 1930-31 events in which the dates of gold coins were noted or even noticed. This date, 1839, the second year of Victoria's gold, seems to be rarer than references imply, and especially so for coins still retaining mint lustre as seen on this specimen.
(5000-6000 GBP)