Sorry! This 1886 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Shield Reverse good EF (PCGS AU55) has sold.

1886 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Shield Reverse good EF (PCGS AU55)

Obverse: Queen Victoria Young Head

Reverse: Coronate shield within wreath mintmark below


Look at that sharp hairline - this coin was missing from a number of really important collections of Australian gold.

Not only is the 1886 Melbourne Shield reverse sovereign the rarest Australian sovereign with the Shield reverse, it is unequivocally one of the rarest and most important of all Australian sovereigns.

Just how many of these coins were struck is not known, Melbourne Mint staff did not regularly delineate the mintage figures of sovereigns between the Shield and St George reverse types.

It is interesting to note that the mintage of half-sovereigns at the Melbourne Mint in 1886 was just 38,000 coins, and further that the 1886 Melbourne Shield sovereign is exponentially rarer.

This would indicate that the actual mintage of the 1886 Melbourne Shield sovereign is far lower than 38,000 coins.

I've sighted around 6 different examples of this coin at auction in Australia over the past 5 years - on my estimation 3 of these would not "grade" with PCGS as they were scratched.

The three coins that stood a good chance of passing muster with PCGS sold for between $10,000 and $12,000. At least one of those was far lower quality than this coin.

As a dealer that has been active in Australian sovereigns for close to two decades now, I simply cannot believe what good quality examples of this coin are currently selling for on the open market.

This is a rare, historic and important coin, and is currently available at what I believe is a rock bottom price.

I firmly believe it is excellent value for money, and will easily stand the test of time.

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

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

PCGS Certificate Number: 34678751

PCGS Certificate Verification 34678751

 

 

 

SKU: 24009

Browse our catalog of Shields below:

Coin Name Reverse Obverse Price Status
1875 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1875 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1875 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine $1,050.00 Available Now View Product
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1875 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1875 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1875 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF $995.00 Available Now View Product
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1880 Sydney Shield Sovereign Very Fine 1880 Sydney Shield Sovereign Very Fine 1880 Sydney Shield Sovereign Very Fine $950.00 Available Now View Product
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1881 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1881 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1881 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $4,500.00 Available Now View Product
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1881 Sydney Shield Sovereign Choice Unc (PCGS MS63) 1881 Sydney Shield Sovereign Choice Unc (PCGS MS63) 1881 Sydney Shield Sovereign Choice Unc (PCGS MS63) $3,950.00 Available Now View Product
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1882 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1882 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1882 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine $950.00 Available Now View Product
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1883 Melbourne Shield Sovereign about Unc (PCGS AU58) 1883 Melbourne Shield Sovereign about Unc (PCGS AU58) 1883 Melbourne Shield Sovereign about Unc (PCGS AU58) $2,950.00 Available Now View Product
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1884 Melbourne Shield Sovereign good EF 1884 Melbourne Shield Sovereign good EF 1884 Melbourne Shield Sovereign good EF $950.00 Available Now View Product
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1886 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1886 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1886 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine $950.00 Available Now View Product
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1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign about EF 1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign about EF 1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign about EF $550.00
Last sold for this price on 14/4/2022
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1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF $975.00
Last sold for this price on 14/4/2024
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1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign WW Incuse Choice Unc (PCGS MS63) 1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign WW Incuse Choice Unc (PCGS MS63) 1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign WW Incuse Choice Unc (PCGS MS63) $3,250.00
Last sold for this price on 14/3/2023
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1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign WW Incuse Unc (PCGS MS62) 1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign WW Incuse Unc (PCGS MS62) 1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign WW Incuse Unc (PCGS MS62) $2,250.00
Last sold for this price on 26/4/2022
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1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign WW Raised Unc (PCGS MS62) 1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign WW Raised Unc (PCGS MS62) 1871 Sydney Shield Sovereign WW Raised Unc (PCGS MS62) $1,950.00
Last sold for this price on 12/10/2020
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1872 Melbourne Shield Sovereign good EF 1872 Melbourne Shield Sovereign good EF 1872 Melbourne Shield Sovereign good EF $850.00
Last sold for this price on 23/7/2022
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1872 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1872 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1872 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine $950.00
Last sold for this price on 12/4/2024
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1872 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1872 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1872 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF $914.25
Last sold for this price on 14/12/2022
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1872/1 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS61) 1872/1 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS61) 1872/1 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS61) $6,485.00
Last sold for this price on 9/7/2019
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1872/1 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1872/1 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1872/1 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $9,000.00
Last sold for this price on 11/4/2023
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1873 Sydney Shield Sovereign about VF 1873 Sydney Shield Sovereign about VF 1873 Sydney Shield Sovereign about VF $925.00
Last sold for this price on 7/4/2024
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1873 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1873 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1873 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF $895.00
Last sold for this price on 14/8/2023
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1873 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1873 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1873 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $2,250.00
Last sold for this price on 12/10/2020
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1874 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1874 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1874 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine $1,000.00
Last sold for this price on 12/4/2024
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1875 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1875 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1875 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $2,100.00
Last sold for this price on 23/10/2019
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1877 Sydney Shield Sovereign good EF 1877 Sydney Shield Sovereign good EF 1877 Sydney Shield Sovereign good EF $995.00
Last sold for this price on 12/4/2024
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1877 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1877 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1877 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF $925.00
Last sold for this price on 8/4/2024
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1878 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS61) 1878 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS61) 1878 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS61) $950.00
Last sold for this price on 5/8/2019
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1878 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1878 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1878 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $1,150.00
Last sold for this price on 10/9/2019
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1879 Sydney Shield Sovereign about VF 1879 Sydney Shield Sovereign about VF 1879 Sydney Shield Sovereign about VF $925.00
Last sold for this price on 8/4/2024
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1879 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1879 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1879 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $1,750.00
Last sold for this price on 4/11/2022
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1881 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1881 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine 1881 Sydney Shield Sovereign Extremely Fine $925.00
Last sold for this price on 29/3/2024
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1883 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1883 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1883 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $5,500.00
Last sold for this price on 15/10/2020
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1883 Sydney Shield Sovereign Very Fine 1883 Sydney Shield Sovereign Very Fine 1883 Sydney Shield Sovereign Very Fine $925.00
Last sold for this price on 8/4/2024
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1884 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1884 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1884 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $1,125.00
Last sold for this price on 18/5/2021
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1884 Sydney Shield Sovereign good EF 1884 Sydney Shield Sovereign good EF 1884 Sydney Shield Sovereign good EF $875.00
Last sold for this price on 3/3/2021
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1885 Melbourne Shield Sovereign good EF 1885 Melbourne Shield Sovereign good EF 1885 Melbourne Shield Sovereign good EF $895.00
Last sold for this price on 7/8/2020
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1885 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1885 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1885 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $1,250.00
Last sold for this price on 12/10/2020
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1886 Melbourne Shield Sovereign PCGS XF45 1886 Melbourne Shield Sovereign PCGS XF45 1886 Melbourne Shield Sovereign PCGS XF45 $8,735.00
Last sold for this price on 29/9/2020
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1886 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Shield Reverse good EF (PCGS AU55) 1886 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Shield Reverse good EF (PCGS AU55) 1886 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Shield Reverse good EF (PCGS AU55) $13,500.00
Last sold for this price on 29/6/2022
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1886 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1886 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) 1886 Melbourne Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62) $62,500.00
Last sold for this price on 17/6/2020
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1886 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1886 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF 1886 Sydney Shield Sovereign good VF $750.00
Last sold for this price on 15/4/2022
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1887 Melbourne Shield Sovereign about Unc 1887 Melbourne Shield Sovereign about Unc 1887 Melbourne Shield Sovereign about Unc $9,500.00
Last sold for this price on 25/2/2021
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