Victoria 1877 M Gold Sovereign St George; Long Tail NGC MS 62

AUSTRALIA. Victoria, 1837-1901.
Gold Sovereign, 1877 M. Melbourne. St George; Long Tail.
Young head left, WW buried in truncation; mintmark M below; VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:. / St George on horseback slaying the dragon right, horse with long tail; date and small B.P. in exergue. Edge milled.

The Melbourne Mint had opened only five years before this sovereign was struck, converting the gold of Victoria into coinage made to the standards of the Royal Mint. Although both shield and St George sovereigns were produced during the mint’s early years, Melbourne issued only the St George type in 1877.

The coin pairs William Wyon’s Young Head portrait, with the famous St George and the Dragon design of Benedetto Pistrucci. The ‘M’ beneath Victoria’s portrait identifies its production at Melbourne, a position used before the mintmark was transferred to the reverse upon the Jubilee Head coinage.

Graded NGC MS62, the present coin is an attractive high-grade survivor of this early Melbourne issue. NGC records just nine certified finer.

In secure plastic holder, graded NGC MS 62 , certification number 6692610-001.

NGC Census in this grade: 36.
NGC Census in higher grade: 9
Reference: S-3857; Marsh-99; McD-154
Weight: 7.99g. (AGW=0.2355 oz.)
Diameter: 22mm.
Mintage: 1,487,316.
Composition: 917/1000 Gold.

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