Baldwin & Sons
Auction 88 8 May 2014
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BRITISH COINS, MILLED GOLD SOVEREIGNS, Victoria, Gold "Ansell" Sovereign, 1859, second larger young head left with extra line depicted on lower fillet of hair, indicating struck from Australian "brittle" gold, ww incuse on truncation without stops, date below, incomplete dis-jointed 5, light raised die flaw down neck, further flaw at last A of legend, rev crowned quartered shield of arms within laurel wreath, emblems below (Bentley 426; Marsh 42A R4; MCE 520; S 3852E). Light surface marks, dig by nose, very fine / good very fine and rare.
"Ansell" variety mintage 167,539 of a total calendar year of 1,547,603
In 1859 this quantity of coin from the regular mintage was found to be of inferior "brittle" quality and on melting found to have been alloyed with quantities of antimony, arsenic and lead. Mr George Frederick Ansell employed in the Rolling Room at the mint and with a scientific background, was given permission to experiment with this inferior batch of Sovereigns. He was successful in adjusting the alloy mix to reproduce them in a much stronger form resulting in the whole quantity being re-coined and denoted with the extra line in the hair fillet. Today they are very rare indeed, especially when encountered in very fine or better grade.
Estimate: £1800-2200
"Ansell" variety mintage 167,539 of a total calendar year of 1,547,603
In 1859 this quantity of coin from the regular mintage was found to be of inferior "brittle" quality and on melting found to have been alloyed with quantities of antimony, arsenic and lead. Mr George Frederick Ansell employed in the Rolling Room at the mint and with a scientific background, was given permission to experiment with this inferior batch of Sovereigns. He was successful in adjusting the alloy mix to reproduce them in a much stronger form resulting in the whole quantity being re-coined and denoted with the extra line in the hair fillet. Today they are very rare indeed, especially when encountered in very fine or better grade.
Estimate: £1800-2200