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Victoria 1874 shield back Sovereign London mint XF45
Victoria (1837-1901), gold Sovereign, 1874, die number 32 on reverse, young head facing left, date below, W.W. raised on truncation for engraver William Wyon, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, VICTORIA DEI GRATIA, rev. crowned quartered shield of arms within laurel wreath, die number 32 and emblems below, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF: edge milled (Bentley 301; Marsh 58; MCE 537; S.3853B). Toned with some residual brilliance around lettering, has been graded and slabbed by PCGS as XF45, very rare.
PCGS certification 206986.45/3403643
1874 represents the last year for the shield Sovereign at the London Royal Mint and is therefore the rarest. The calendar year mintage for the Sovereign this year is a mere 520,713 but this also includes the more numerous St George reverse pieces. The shield reverse must have totalled a mere fraction of this mintage. The shield Sovereigns of this period have individually numbered dies, a way of identifying which press on which journey of which day minted the coinage.