Gold Adelaide Pound (Type II) 1852 Adelaide Assay Office PCGS MS61

Obverse: Crown & date within a beaded, linear and ornamented circle.

ADELAIDE GOVERNMENT ASSAY OFFICE around, split by small rosettes on either side of ADELAIDE.

Reverse: VALUE ONE POUND within a beaded, linear circle.

22 CARATS, WEIGHT 5 DWT: 15 GRS around, split by small rosettes on either side of 22 CARATS. All text is in a sans serif font.

Diameter: 23.00mm | Weight: 8.770g | Purity: 91.67%

Mintage : 24,648

This is a mint-state example of Australia's first unofficial gold coin.

The 1852 Adelaide Pound is Australia’s first gold coin, minted in response to problems caused by the discovery of gold at Mount Alexander (Victoria) in November 1851.

It is one of Australia’s rarest and most coveted coins and is seldom seen on the collector market.

The story surrounding its conception, production and withdrawal has several threads that have been shown to have enduring appeal – the perseverance and foresight of George Tinline; the leadership of Sir Henry Young; the ingenuity of the Assay Office staff and the enterprise of all those that flocked to the goldfields are all stories that strike a chord with Australians in the 21st century.

The Adelaide Ingots and Pounds remain to this day as a solid testament to Australian ingenuity during a period of social and economic turmoil. From an economic perspective, research into the gradual move from gold nuggets and dust being exchanged for goods to the return of sovereigns in daily trade is a unique and intriguing case study of the evolution of money in an Australian context.

The appeal of these national heirlooms to historians and collectors is heightened further when their rarity and fragile beauty in superior quality are considered.

Very few collectors ever enjoy the opportunity of owning either an Adelaide Ingot or Pound, and it is hardly surprising that they are keenly sought by collectors the nation over.

Click here to read our article on the background to this historical Australian coin.

This particular example shows stacks of lustre all over. If you examine each of the small beads that comprise the inner circles on either side, you can see this coin has no wear evident at all.

The quality designation by PCGS of MS 61 confirms there are a number of light contact marks on either side, characteristics that are commensurate with a coin that travelled in the company of a number of other Adelaide Pounds for just a short period of time.

Importantly for this coin, the rim details remain strong around the perimeter on either side, it is devoid of the weakness often evident on the upper left quarter of the obverse, standard for many Adelaide Pounds.

The Adelaide Pound is seldom seen at auction in true, unimpaired mint-state condition. I believe this coin offers excellent value for money - it remains a solid example of one of Australia's most historic coins.

SKU: 23159