Owner Comments:
S-3855B, Marsh 79 (Scarce)
Acquired from: Heritage
Means: Auction 232242, Lot 63347
Date: 20 October 2022
Ex: Reserve Bank of Australia 2005
Critique: Not a particularly rare date, but nice eye appeal and only one coin has been graded in higher condition by NGC as of 11/2022. Best of all, however, is the provenance. As indicated on the NGC holder, this coin was purchased during the famous auction by the Reserve Bank of Australia. Can't get much more historical than that. For those unfamiliar with this sale, here are pertinent excerpts from the Bank's announcement of the upcoming sale in 2005:
"Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Rare Gold Sovereign Coin Auction by Reserve Bank of Australia
The Reserve Bank of Australia, Australia’s central bank with direct control over Australia's monetary policy, will auction their entire rare gold coin collection on the 29th and 30th of November 2005.
The gold coins were accumulated during the period from 1929 to 1976 when Australian law required that gold held by the public be sold to the central bank in exchange for fiat (paper) currency. Right up to the early 1970s it was compulsory for all gold found in Australia to be sold to the government or its agents at the dictated price, within 10 days of discovery.
The RBA says it has no need to maintain this stockpile, and has decided to divest itself of the holding, with select pieces put aside for museums, coins with no numismatic value melted down, coins with low numismatic value sold by tender, and coins of high numismatic value being made available to the public.
Nearly 6000 gold coins and 800 silver and copper coins dating from 1817 will be auctioned in Melbourne at the Old Treasury Building.
The Gold Coin Auction includes:
- Nearly 2,500 Australian Half Gold Sovereigns, representing all years of issue between 1855 and 1916, including many rare and high-quality examples.
- 2,650 Australian Gold Sovereigns and Adelaide Pounds, covering most years of issue between 1852 and the 1920s."
Super Exciting! I really would love to have been at that auction, but unfortunately I didn't start collecting gold sovereigns until 2022 so I missed it.
There was some considerable interest in this coin during the auction, most likely since it is nearly Top Pop and has such a nice provenance. So it cost me more than I was hoping, but I'm happy to have it. The coin is in a very old holder (NGC told me 2006), and looks more like MS63 to me, so perhaps some day I'll send it in for reconsideration, as long as they guarantee to retain the RBoA provenance listing on the new holder.