Lot 324
Victoria (1837-1901) Sovereign, 1879, Melbourne mint, medium tail.
Ancient, British & World Coins - Auction 120 | C25001
Auction: 12 March 2025 at 10:00 GMT
£960
Description
Young head of third style left, letter M below near neck, WW buried in truncation in relief, some doubling of legend, with some letters out of alignment. Rev, St George slaying dragon with sword, absent tail spur with "medium" tail, three strand terminal to tail, shorter strand to left curves outward, dragon claws of 4/4 arrangement but with two upper arm claws detached, two lower claws weak, date in exergue, die flaw in date, weak BP to upper right, incomplete B and stops absent, 7.98gm (S. 3857D; EGC 1727; Marsh 101A). Attractively toned, some light bagmarks, a pleasing Extremely Fine on par with the Quartermaster coin, scarce.
Footnote
Ex. Bentley Collection, Baldwin’s Auction 76, Lot 768, realised £960 in 2012. This coin demonstrates the traits of the "medium" tail, which would seem to be a weaker rendition of the long tail when transferred from the master die. It is not the strike of the actual coins that is weak, but the engraving process of the dies used to strike these coins, the detail is therefore different giving the "medium" tail characteristics, a variation on the long tail.
