Half-Sovereign - 1855 to 1887 - Price Guide
By the mid-1850's the Government decided that it was about time that an official mint should be set up to convert the plentiful gold stocks into coins of the realm. Adelaide and Melbourne both petitioned for the honour of establishing a mint, but the royal decree went to Sydney.
The first Sydney Mint sovereigns were unique in the history of the British Empire. In a situation which has not been repeated since, the coins carried a design which was completely different from that of the standard British issue. Even so, the dies for both the sovereign and half sovereign were slapped together in a half-hearted way by the authorities in London.
Although mintage figures seem high in some years, these coins are scarce especially in better grade. This situation was made worse by the short run of Sydney Mint gold coins. Production of the half sovereigns halted in 1866 and the British Treasury revoked its approval to mint any further Sydney Mint coins in 1871.
Click on a coin to view additional values, details and varieties about it.
- Circulated
- Uncirculated
| Variety | G-4 | VG-8 | F-12 | VF-20 | EF-40 | AU-50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1855 | - | $10,700 | $17,400 | $31,000 | $47,800 | $95,600 |
| 1856 - No dot | - | $397 | $1,120 | $2,480 | $24,800 | $39,700 |
| 1856 - Dot | - | $397 | $399 | $1,380 | $3,680 | $9,100 |
| 1857 | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $683 | $3,600 |
| 1858 | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $683 | $3,270 |
| 1858 - Sovrreign | - | - | $7,300 | $11,200 | - | - |
| 1859 | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $1,180 | $5,800 |
| 1859 - 9/8 | - | - | - | $397 | $1,440 | $7,800 |
| 1860 | - | $397 | $397 | $819 | $2,320 | $10,800 |
| 1860 - 6/5 | - | - | $397 | $794 | $2,330 | $13,900 |
| 1861 | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $683 | $3,340 |
| 1861 - 1/0 | - | - | - | $4,220 | $7,000 | $14,400 |
| 1862 | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $1,190 | $4,120 |
| 1863 | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $1,270 | $5,500 |
| 1864 - Arabic 1 | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $1,040 | $5,400 |
| 1864 - Roman 1 | - | - | $2,360 | $3,970 | $6,600 | $14,600 |
| 1865 | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $1,150 | $4,340 |
| 1866 | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $993 | $3,380 |
| 1871 | - | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $1,380 |
| 1872 | - | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $1,350 |
| 1873 | - | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $1,140 |
| 1875 | - | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $2,410 |
| 1877 - Narrow Ribbon | - | - | $397 | $397 | $447 | $1,500 |
| 1877 - Wide Ribbon | - | - | $397 | $397 | $465 | $2,980 |
| 1879 | - | - | $397 | $397 | $447 | $1,900 |
| 1880 - Cross Buried | - | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $2,000 |
| 1880 - Cross not Buried | - | - | $397 | $397 | $652 | $4,770 |
| 1881 - Sydney - Cross Buried | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $459 | $2,040 |
| 1881 - Sydney - Cross not Buried | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $894 | $6,700 |
| 1881 - Melbourne | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $877 | $6,800 |
| 1882 - Sydney | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $677 | $5,900 |
| 1882 - Melbourne - Near G | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $397 | $2,430 |
| 1882 - Melbourne - Far G | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $397 | $509 |
| 1883 - Sydney - Cross Buried | - | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $815 |
| 1883 - Sydney - Cross not Buried | - | - | $397 | $397 | $428 | $3,050 |
| 1884 | - | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $3,720 |
| 1885 | - | - | $397 | $405 | $844 | $2,670 |
| 1886 - Sydney | - | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $1,040 |
| 1886 - Melbourne | - | - | $397 | $397 | $877 | $5,400 |
| 1887 - Young head - Sydney | - | - | $397 | $397 | $397 | $851 |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Sydney - SS JEB | - | - | - | $397 | $397 | $447 |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Sydney - Normal JEB | - | - | - | $397 | $397 | $416 |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Sydney - Close JEB | - | - | - | $397 | $397 | $441 |
| 1887 - Young head - Melbourne | - | - | $397 | $397 | $1,710 | $7,300 |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Melbourne - SS JEB | - | - | - | $397 | $397 | $420 |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Melbourne - Normal JEB | - | - | - | $397 | $397 | $596 |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Melbourne - Close JEB | - | - | - | $397 | $397 | $478 |
| Variety | MS-60 | MS-62 | MS-63 | MS-64 | MS-65 | MS-66 | MS-67 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1855 | $229,000 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1856 - No dot | $66,600 | $74,500 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1856 - Dot | $25,500 | $33,400 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1857 | $6,500 | $9,100 | $12,500 | $19,100 | $23,300 | - | - |
| 1858 | $7,900 | $16,600 | $21,000 | $25,300 | $41,000 | - | - |
| 1858 - Sovrreign | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1859 | $12,900 | $20,900 | $28,800 | $36,700 | $57,100 | - | - |
| 1859 - 9/8 | $28,900 | $33,300 | $45,200 | $57,100 | $68,300 | - | - |
| 1860 | $26,500 | $33,000 | $40,700 | $48,400 | $70,700 | - | - |
| 1860 - 6/5 | $34,100 | $43,700 | $50,400 | $57,100 | $73,200 | - | - |
| 1861 | $10,300 | $18,700 | $24,000 | $29,200 | $51,500 | - | - |
| 1861 - 1/0 | $31,900 | $39,700 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1862 | $12,500 | $20,100 | $26,300 | $32,500 | $55,900 | - | - |
| 1863 | $12,500 | $19,200 | $24,900 | $30,500 | $53,400 | - | - |
| 1864 - Arabic 1 | $12,400 | $18,900 | $24,400 | $29,900 | $52,700 | - | - |
| 1864 - Roman 1 | $31,900 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1865 | $16,100 | $24,700 | $27,200 | $39,200 | $60,100 | - | - |
| 1866 | $15,300 | $18,500 | $21,700 | $39,500 | $62,100 | - | - |
| 1871 | $8,100 | $13,500 | $14,100 | $20,600 | $25,300 | - | - |
| 1872 | $8,500 | $14,900 | $18,400 | $21,800 | $26,400 | - | - |
| 1873 | $9,200 | $16,000 | $20,700 | $25,300 | $30,200 | - | - |
| 1875 | $9,000 | $12,300 | $20,300 | $24,800 | $29,700 | - | - |
| 1877 - Narrow Ribbon | $9,300 | $15,900 | $20,400 | $24,800 | $29,700 | - | - |
| 1877 - Wide Ribbon | $9,900 | $13,600 | $21,600 | $26,100 | $29,600 | - | - |
| 1879 | $7,900 | $14,400 | $18,400 | $22,300 | $26,700 | - | - |
| 1880 - Cross Buried | $9,200 | $18,100 | $21,700 | $25,300 | $29,500 | - | - |
| 1880 - Cross not Buried | $11,400 | $19,400 | $23,900 | $28,400 | $32,800 | - | - |
| 1881 - Sydney - Cross Buried | $9,400 | $17,400 | $21,700 | $25,900 | $30,300 | - | - |
| 1881 - Sydney - Cross not Buried | $15,800 | $27,800 | $33,400 | $39,000 | - | - | - |
| 1881 - Melbourne | $15,800 | $23,300 | $28,400 | $33,500 | $38,500 | - | - |
| 1882 - Sydney | $14,400 | $18,300 | $22,200 | $33,500 | $38,500 | - | - |
| 1882 - Melbourne - Near G | $7,100 | $13,800 | $16,400 | $19,100 | $22,700 | - | - |
| 1882 - Melbourne - Far G | $4,440 | $9,300 | $11,600 | $13,900 | $16,500 | - | - |
| 1883 - Sydney - Cross Buried | $4,090 | $9,200 | $11,400 | $13,500 | $16,600 | - | - |
| 1883 - Sydney - Cross not Buried | $9,200 | $15,600 | $16,000 | $24,500 | $29,100 | - | - |
| 1884 | $11,000 | $13,900 | $16,400 | $18,900 | $27,400 | - | - |
| 1885 | $8,900 | $16,400 | $18,300 | $20,300 | $29,800 | - | - |
| 1886 - Sydney | $5,300 | $8,100 | $13,300 | $16,400 | $20,700 | - | - |
| 1886 - Melbourne | $13,000 | $19,900 | $24,300 | $28,800 | $35,000 | - | - |
| 1887 - Young head - Sydney | $4,300 | $9,200 | $11,400 | $13,700 | $17,000 | - | - |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Sydney - SS JEB | $1,120 | $2,270 | $3,010 | $3,790 | $5,100 | - | - |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Sydney - Normal JEB | $958 | $1,990 | $2,640 | $3,290 | $4,310 | - | - |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Sydney - Close JEB | $1,010 | $2,110 | $2,850 | $3,600 | $4,650 | - | - |
| 1887 - Young head - Melbourne | $20,500 | $26,300 | $33,900 | $41,500 | $51,800 | - | - |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Melbourne - SS JEB | $1,040 | $2,150 | $2,980 | $3,790 | $4,870 | - | - |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Melbourne - Normal JEB | $2,070 | $3,600 | $4,690 | $5,800 | $7,000 | - | - |
| 1887 - Jubilee head - Melbourne - Close JEB | $853 | $2,230 | $3,070 | $4,760 | $5,000 | - | - |
View the grading section to identify grades (G-4, F-12, AU-50, MS,..). You can switch the grades and values to ANDA adjectival standard.
