1859 Victoria gold sovereign shield "Ansell" certified by NGC AU53
In 1859 a batch of imperfect gold led the Royal Mint to test an experimental alloy created by one of their employees. The result was a unique batch of sovereigns of which very few remain.
An 'Ansell' sovereign struck from the reworked gold can be identified by an additional line which is visible in the rear hairband of the Queen's portrait, as seen in the photograph to the right. These sovereigns are listed as Rare 4 in Marsh (15 - 25 examples known) and are very popular with collectors of rare sovereigns.
High grade
Mintage of 167,539
Very rare