An 1889 Full Sovereign - M Mint mark

[Sy007]

Hi all. I have an 1889 Sovereign in good condition with the Melbourne mint mark. I am curious as to the valuation.
It was sent it as a random date by Atkinsons.

Many thanks for your help!

Sy

[Sovhead]

385-390

[AaaGee]

Are the Jubilee and Old head sovereigns not as popular as the Young Vic? Special years and Shieldbacks aside.

Would love a Jubilee.

24 minutes ago, Sy007 said:

Hi all. I have an 1889 Sovereign in good condition with the Melbourne mint mark. I am curious as to the valuation.
It was sent it as a random date by Atkinsons.

Many thanks for your help!

Sy

Any pix?

Just coz i like them.

[iacabu]

There's fewer Melbourne coins than London, but still nearly 3 million minted so don't fetch any premium. 

I've just advertised a couple of jubilee head sovs at £380 (1888M and 1890). One has been up a few days without interest, although condition is obviously key. 

 

I think Young Vic are more desirable than Jubilee, which as far as I can tell, seem to be the least favourite. 

Edited January 28 by iacabu

[AaaGee]

Yeh, just been looking at the 1888. A real beauty.

 

[sovereignsteve]

4 hours ago, iacabu said:

I think Young Vic are more desirable than Jubilee, which as far as I can tell, seem to be the least favourite. 

The problem with the Jubilee head coins is that they seem to wear easily and the design definitely doesn't take it well.

On the other hand, a Jubilee in top condition is an absolute joy to behold; the detail can be astounding.

Jubs are also very popular because there are so many variations in just a few number of years.

The shield series obviously speaks for itself but the G&D young heads are quite boring in reality with just the odd length of tail variation to create interest.

 

[dicker]

20 hours ago, sovereignsteve said:

The problem with the Jubilee head coins is that they seem to wear easily and the design definitely doesn't take it well.

On the other hand, a Jubilee in top condition is an absolute joy to behold; the detail can be astounding.

Jubs are also very popular because there are so many variations in just a few number of years.

The shield series obviously speaks for itself but the G&D young heads are quite boring in reality with just the odd length of tail variation to create interest.

 

Totally agree that they seem to suffer more wear. I am not sure why this seems to be the case.

[Booky586]

They're are two variants on the obverse for this year, 1st and 2nd legend. You will have dropped lucky if yours is the rare 1st legend. Have a look here for identification and rarity ratings:

https://issuu.com/jammdesign/docs/jubilee_brochure

 

Edited January 29 by Booky586

[Britannia47]

12 hours ago, dicker said:

Totally agree that they seem to suffer more wear. I am not sure why this seems to be the case.

May be the alloy content? In the late 1860s the RM concluded that the alloy used by the Sydney mint which had higher proportions of silver than London sovereigns not only exhibited a lighter colour, but was causing more wear than the standard alloy with copper! 

However, it seemed that Leonard Charles Wyon, the engraver of J.E.Bs design had general concerns about this effigy in the first place, whatever they were. I must read the DISH publication!….

[SidS]

Although I echo the earlier comments about young head G&D being boring, it's the old head design that I never liked.

The jubilees don't wear well that's true, but I prefer them to the old head design, or even the young head G&D.

The shields are my favourite by a long, long way.

Edited January 30 by SidS

[sovereignsteve]

4 hours ago, SidS said:

 it's the old head design that I never liked.

Funnily enough I used to be the same. I have decided it's because it's difficult to find really good examples and when you do, you pay through the nose. Like the Jub heads, a really good example of the Veiled, is extremely attractive IMHO

[Spyder]

On 29/01/2024 at 21:18, Booky586 said:

They're are two variants on the obverse for this year, 1st and 2nd legend. You will have dropped lucky if yours is the rare 1st legend. Have a look here for identification and rarity ratings:

https://issuu.com/jammdesign/docs/jubilee_brochure

 

Thank you for the link. Very interesting.  What is impressive is that the author David Iverson only started collecting sovereigns about 10 years ago from that article and shows if you put your mind to it, what can be achieved. He is now the Jubilee Head expert.  

Would like to get a  hard copy of that brochure.

Edited January 31 by Spyder

[Booky586]

40 minutes ago, Spyder said:

Would like to get a  hard copy of that brochure.

So would I. I've been on the lookout for a while now, holding a book's a lot better than trying to read an online version.

Sovereign Rarities used to have copies of the half sovereign and full sovereign pdf versions that you could download but they've take the link down.

[Spyder]

11 minutes ago, Booky586 said:

So would I. I've been on the lookout for a while now, holding a book's a lot better than trying to read an online version.

Sovereign Rarities used to have copies of the half sovereign and full sovereign pdf versions that you could download but they've take the link down.

I also prefer hard copies. Much better to turn a page than trying to zoom in to an article online