Sorry! This 1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Choice Unc PCGS MS63 has sold.

1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Choice Unc (PCGS MS63)

Obverse: Type II portrait

Reverse: Australia within wreath

Diameter: 19.30mm | Weight: 3.99g | Purity: 91.67 | AGW: 0.1177 ozt

Mintage: 537,000


Warm and glowing surfaces, this is a delightful example of the 1857 half sovereign.

The Type II Australian half sovereign series runs from 1857 through to 1866 - each coin features the revised bust of Queen Victoria on the obverse, one that includes a spray of native Australian Banksia in her hair. A less-known characteristic of the coins in this series is that they were often struck from dies that were repaired by the Sydney Mint's staff, offering collectors numerous opportunities for study and investigation.

Although the Sydney Mint had only been in operation since 1855, due to the distance separating it from the Royal Mint in London (around 17,000 kilometres), Sydney's staff did not enjoy the level of technical support one might expect of a state of the art minting facility.

Dies were supplied to the Sydney Mint by the Royal Mint in London, orders and deliveries were often received at best several times per year. This arrangement worked absolutely fine in theory, yet did not take the rate of attrition inherent in the minting process.

Coinage dies are subjected to many tonnes of pressure each and every time they are used, there is very little tolerance available for deviation from the exact pressure required. That tolerance is absolutely minimal for coins that are quite thin or struck from a relatively soft metal such as gold.

The half-sovereign is both quite thin and is struck in relatively soft metal, so it posed an ongoing challenge for the staff of the Sydney Mint - they needed to set die pressure high enough that the fine detail on each coin was fully struck up, but not so high that the dies cracked.

Collectors that are familiar with the Sydney Mint Half Sovereign series will readily acknowledge that letters in the legend and digits in the date were re-punched or replaced regularly - those running repairs were a direct result of the damage incurred through normal use of the dies. Staff at the Royal Mint in London undoubtedly faced the exact same challenges, yet had more resources at hand that allowed them to maintain their working dies in a way that did not leave any evidence on the coins they struck.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

PCGS Certificate Number: 37450373

PCGS Certificate Verification 37450373

SKU: 27118

Browse our catalog of Type II Sydney Mints below:

Coin Name Reverse Obverse Price Status
1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 $4,500.00 Available Now View Product
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1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good VF 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good VF 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good VF $1,950.00 Available Now View Product
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1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 $2,750.00 Available Now View Product
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1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62+) 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62+) 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62+) $19,500.00 Available Now View Product
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1859 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 1859 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 1859 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 $4,250.00 Available Now View Product
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1860/5 Overdate Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good 1860/5 Overdate Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good 1860/5 Overdate Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good $950.00 Available Now View Product
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1860/50 Overdate Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS VF35 1860/50 Overdate Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS VF35 1860/50 Overdate Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS VF35 $2,950.00 Available Now View Product
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1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Fine 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Fine 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Fine $750.00 Available Now View Product
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1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU50 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU50 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU50 $2,950.00 Available Now View Product
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1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good $650.00 Available Now View Product
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1862 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU53 1862 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU53 1862 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU53 $2,950.00 Available Now View Product
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1862 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good 1862 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good 1862 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good $650.00 Available Now View Product
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1864 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1864 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1864 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $25,000.00 Available Now View Product
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1865 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good Very Fine 1865 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good Very Fine 1865 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good Very Fine $2,250.00 Available Now View Product
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1866 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU53 1866 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU53 1866 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU53 $2,950.00 Available Now View Product
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1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign about VF 1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign about VF 1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign about VF $1,038.00
Last sold for this price on 23/5/2022
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1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Choice Unc PCGS MS63 1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Choice Unc PCGS MS63 1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Choice Unc PCGS MS63 $18,500.00
Last sold for this price on 10/8/2023
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1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $17,000.00
Last sold for this price on 15/4/2023
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1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Fine 1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Fine 1857 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Fine $1,050.00
Last sold for this price on 29/10/2021
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1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Choice Unc (PCGS MS63) 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Choice Unc (PCGS MS63) 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Choice Unc (PCGS MS63) $23,000.00
Last sold for this price on 22/12/2021
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1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 $7,000.00
Last sold for this price on 27/12/2021
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1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good 1858 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Very Good $800.00
Last sold for this price on 21/8/2024
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1860 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Overdate about Unc (PCGS AU58) 1860 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Overdate about Unc (PCGS AU58) 1860 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Overdate about Unc (PCGS AU58) $19,500.00
Last sold for this price on 21/6/2021
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1860 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU53 1860 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU53 1860 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU53 $7,750.00
Last sold for this price on 7/9/2022
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1860 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 1860 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 1860 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 $10,750.00
Last sold for this price on 7/1/2021
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1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good Fine 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good Fine 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good Fine $950.00
Last sold for this price on 28/10/2021
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1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good Very Fine 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good Very Fine 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign good Very Fine $2,600.00
Last sold for this price on 7/12/2023
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1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS XF45 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS XF45 1861 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS XF45 $1,191.00
Last sold for this price on 27/7/2022
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1861/0 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS VF20 1861/0 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS VF20 1861/0 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS VF20 $2,000.00
Last sold for this price on 13/3/2024
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1863 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU50 1863 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU50 1863 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU50 $3,750.00
Last sold for this price on 24/11/2020
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1863 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 1863 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 1863 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU58 $4,250.00
Last sold for this price on 18/12/2021
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1864 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign about Unc (PCGS AU58) 1864 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign about Unc (PCGS AU58) 1864 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign about Unc (PCGS AU58) $7,000.00
Last sold for this price on 17/12/2020
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1864 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 1864 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 1864 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 $5,250.00
Last sold for this price on 16/5/2022
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1865 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Good 1865 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Good 1865 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign Good $495.00
Last sold for this price on 6/4/2024
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1866 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 1866 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 1866 Sydney Mint Type II Half Sovereign PCGS AU55 $3,500.00
Last sold for this price on 27/12/2021
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