British and World Coins, Numismatic Books

Victoria (1837-1901), Young Head, Half-Sovereign, 1862, 3.85g/6h (M 436; S 3859A). Fair, very rare (£200-250)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Sovereigns and Half-Sovereigns, the Property of a West Sussex Collector.

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Collection

The existence of half-sovereigns dated 1862 was not proven in modern times until the publication of an example in SNC September 1979, p.384. Since then several specimens have appeared on the market, including the Sharps Pixley example (Spink Auction 72, 9 November 1989, lot 205), which is the best known; that in St James’s Auction 2, 11 May 2005, lot 653; in Spink Auction 183, 26 September 2006, lot 95; in St James’s Auction 6, 8 June 2007, lot 332; and the pierced example in DNW Auction 48, 30 November 2000, lot 221