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Auction: 25124 - Spink Numismatic e-Circular 43: British and World Coins and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 255

(g) Victoria (1837-1901), 'Ansell' Sovereign, 1859, second large bust left, with 'Ansell' ribbon to hair fillet, WW incuse on truncation, rev. crowned normal shield within wreath, edge milled, 7.93g, 6h (EGC II, 1132; MCE 520 [R2]; Bentley 426; Marsh 42A; S.3852E), minor surface marking and with softness to the tops of the devices, with a faint residual lustre, pleasing very fine example of this ever sought after Victorian Sovereign scarcity

Provenance

Spink, by private treaty, SPK2852, 18 July 2012


In 1859, George Frederick Ansell, head of the rolling room at the Royal Mint, experimented with a rejected shipment of gold coin alloy. The shipment had initially been refused by the Mint due to their strict quality standards for coin striking. Through his metallurgical experiments, Ansell developed a new alloy composition that proved more durable than the traditional sovereign design, with tests showing the coins couldn't be broken even when attacked with pliers.


The coins were minted with Queen Victoria's portrait and included a specific identifying feature, an extra band on the ribbon holding back Victoria's hair, to distinguish them from standard 1859 sovereigns produced from different dies. Despite being known as the 'brittle sovereign' due to the origins of its metal, the coin proved exceptionally strong. A total of 167,539 sovereigns were produced using Ansell's unique alloy composition. However, today they prove to be rare in commerce, especially in such desirable condition.

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Sold for
£2,600

Starting price
£2000