Stunning half sovereign

The discovery of payable gold in the colony of New South Wales in 1851 lay behind the establishment of the Sydney branch of the Royal Mint, which opened on 14 May 1855. The Sydney Mint produced its first Type I sovereign, featuring a unique ‘colonial’ design, on 23 June.

There ensued an unbroken 76-year history of gold sovereign production in Australia, with more than 400 million coins created in Sydney and at branches later opened in Melbourne and Perth

2016 Commemorative reverse design

The commemorative 2016 Australia half sovereign portrays St Edwards crown, a laurel wreath and the word AUSTRALIA, historic elements of Leonard Charles Wyon’s original Type I reverse. The modern tribute also includes the inscriptions PERTH MINT and HALF SOVEREIGN.