Victoria 1888 Sovereign Jubilee head, Sydney mint, DISH S8 highest rarity

Victoria (1837-1901),gold Sovereign, 1888, Sydney, Australia Mint, Golden Jubilee style bust facing left, small crown and veil on head, pearl earring and 13 pearl necklace, J.E.B. initials raised on truncation with hooked J, initials of engraver J Edgar Boehm, first abbreviated Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, VICTORIA D:G: BRITT: REG: F:D:,rev.struck en medaille, St George and dragon right, horse with short tail, broken lance to left on ground-line, tiny WWP under lance, initials of William Wellesley Pole, Master of Mint when design introduced, S mint mark at centre of ground-line, date in exergue, initials B.P to upper right, for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled, weight 7.97g (DISH S8 R7; Marsh 138H R7; Bull EGC 1569 R5; S.3868A). With surface marks both sides, good fine and of the highest rarity, no example was present in the Iverson Collection when sold over seven years ago.

Mintage unknown, presumably very low.

Ongoing research and investigation since the publication of "The Jubilee Head Gold Sovereign 1887-1893" has revealed that of the six obverse Jubilee head dies with individual hooked J and with the J.E.B. initials punched on by hand and sent to Sydney in 1887; only five have ever been identified coupled with an 1887 reverse die. This 1888 Sydney coin has a small spread hooked J type J.E.B. initials similar to the S3 obverse die for 1887.

Provenance:
Ex David Iverson collection, since he sold main collection with us in 2017.