Description
This is a 1859 GREAT BRITAIN VICTORIA GOLD “ANSELL” SOVEREIGN, RARE, KM-736.3, XF CLEANING. This is a very, very rare and desirable British Sovereign variety is characterized by the extra line in Queen Victoria’s headband, which is clearly discernable here. These 1859 Sovereign varieties came into being when a batch of gold valued at approximately 167,539 British Pounds was deemed unfit for striking coinage due to being too brittle. Royal Mint worker, and chemist, George Frederick Ansell was given permission to experiment with the gold batch in hopes of strengthening it. He found that gold contained the wrong levels of trace elements arsenic, antimony and lead. He successfully altered the trace elements and a batch of Sovereigns was struck with the stronger gold alloy. To test how these Sovereigns held up in commerce, and extra line was added to the hair ribbon. This would be subtle enough for the public not to notice, but significant enough for the Royal Mint to compare their strength to other circulating Sovereigns. The “Ansell” variety Sovereigns were so strong that Ansell was awarded a cash bonus by the Royal Mint for his efforts. However, most of this limited trial run has been lost to history, and there are believed to be under 100 survivors today.
The present example exhibits XF details on the obverse and AU reverse details. The extra ribbon line is very bold and plainly visible. These “Ansell” Sovereigns also have the incuse WW initials on Victoria’s neck. Although the reverse is lustrous, the rims have no damage, and there are no major marks or visible distractions, the obverse has been lightly polished, making this an example unsuitable for certification as problem-free. However, this minor problem also makes this one of the most affordable examples of this variety that one will find. With pricing guides starting at $4,000 for low grade examples, and some auction coins approaching and exceeding five figures, this piece is “priced right” at $2,250. A rare and great addition to a world collection.
Our commitment is to provide you with quality coins and collectibles at the best possible prices. This piece is no exception. Please note, the coin and collectibles markets do fluctuate, and prices occasionally will change. In this rare circumstance, we will contact you first to verify your order.
