Lot 1589

Description

Queen Victoria, 1899 Perth. A proof-like specimen with full brilliant mint bloom, FDC and unique.

Ex S.V. Hagley Collection, Spink Australia Sale 17 (lot 1046) and the R.G. & C. Pratley Collection (lot 1558). Sold privately by Noble Numismatics in September 1994 for $150,000. This single specimen is believed to have been struck as a coin of record either in 1899 or soon afterwards. Sold with letters of authenticity from Vincent Newman O.B.E. and Graham Dyer of the Royal Mint. No Australian coin collection can be complete without this intriguing coin. The Perth Mint opened in 1899 and issued sovereigns, however time ran out to make an issue, of halfsovereigns dated 1899 even though the dies had been prepared. Syd Hagley had recorded this coin in his collection in the late 1940's. He had close connecting with the Melbourne and Perth Mints and it is possible he obtained this coin direct from the source.