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George V Sovereigns

George V is the only monarch to appear on all 7 issuing mints.

He was also the last to appear on any Branch Mint issue.

The George V series of sovereigns is interesting, it comprises the most common and the rarest.

The rarest is the 1920 Sydney with 3-4 examples known and only 2 in private hands, one is being offered early next year with an estimate of US$300,000 to $400,000 whilst you can obtain high grade examples of 1911 Sydney for little more than bullion.


Some need re-imaging.

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1911 Sydney MInt
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1913 London
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1917 Ottawa Mint
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1918 Bombay Mint
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1923 Melbourne Mint
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1927 Perth Mint
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1928 Pretoria Mint
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Comments

  • trozautrozau Posts: 3,455 ✭✭✭
    You da man! image
    trozau (troy ounce gold)
  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,988 ✭✭✭
    Very nice pieces and a great post. The sovereign was the last coin in the reign to convert over to a modified effigy, beginning in 1929. The other coins converted over in 1925 (halfpennies), 1926 (farthings, pennies, threepences, sixpences, shillings, florins and halfcrowns) and 1928 (maundy).
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • MacCrimmonMacCrimmon Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭
    Cruzi, you are man on a mission!!image

    image
  • If I was a smarter man this could have been an interesting discourse on the effects of lighting/cameras and monitors on coin photos.

    The pictures above were all taken over a long period of time using different methods, 3 cameras and 3 monitors, but no records were kept. image






    << <i>The sovereign was the last coin in the reign to convert over to a modified effigy, beginning in 1929 >>



    The change to the smaller head in the sovereigns is for me, a bit of a low point in the sovs history.

    They were made at 3 mints and generally are not attractive coins as the design changes combined with poor strikes lead to a loss of detail on them.

    The Royal Australian Mint was host to the Quatermaster Collection of Gold Sovereigns earlier this year and a visit to that showed that even on the best specimens the detail is weak overall.

    1931 Melbourne Small Head Last Year issued
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    1931 Perth Small Head Last Year issued
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    1932 Pretoria Small Head Last Year issued
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    Edited to Add:

    Side by Side Comparison of the obverse 1911 Sydney to 1931 Perth.
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    Side by Side Comparison of the reverse 1911 Sydney to 1931 Perth.
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  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,988 ✭✭✭
    The change to the smaller head in the sovereigns is for me, a bit of a low point in the sovs history.


    I agree on that point. I also dislike the smaller head on the pennies and halfpennies that came to pass in 1928. The other coins had the ME but they looked reasonably OK.
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • Another interesting thing (to me anyways) about the Small Head George V Sovereigns is the changes to St George.

    It has some of the biggest changes that have occoured since they re-introduced St George in 1871 using the Crown version from earleir years.

    On well struck St George Reverse Sovereigns from 1871 to 1928 you can sometimes clearly see the tiny WWP under the broken lance on the ground.
    I'm trying to find a clear picture.

    This disappears along with changes to his helmet . his and the horses head, changes in the shape detail and placing of the ground, changes in the cape etc, etc.

    Still trying to find information to confirm it but I think it was completely re-engraved by other hands.
  • AuldFartteAuldFartte Posts: 4,597 ✭✭✭✭
    Fabulous collection !!! image


    edit: to remove stupid question image
    image

    My OmniCoin Collection
    My BankNoteBank Collection
    Tom, formerly in Albuquerque, NM.
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