Australian Half Sovereign 1856, Coin from New South Wales - detailed information

Australian Half Sovereign 1856, Coin from New South Wales
CoinAustralian Half Sovereign 1856

A gold coin (19 mm diameter with milled edge) featuring a head of Queen Victoria facing left with the date 1856 below. The reverse features the word AUSTRALIA below a royal crown within a wreath of laurel and with the words SYDNEY MINT above and HALF SOVEREIGN below.

MintSydney Mint Mint MarkSydney Mint Total Mintage 478,000
Obverse
New South Wales / Australian Half Sovereign 1856 - obverse photo

Young head of Victoria left, below 1856; around, VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REGINA F: D:
Obverse Inscription VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REGINA F: D: 1856
Reverse
New South Wales / Australian Half Sovereign 1856 - reverse photo

At centre within a laurel wreath AUSTRALIA under a royal crown; above, SYDNEY MINT; below, HALF SOVEREIGN.
Reverse Inscription SYDNEY MINT AUSTRALIA HALF SOVEREIGN
EdgeMilledEdge InscriptionNone
Notes

Australian Coins and Banknotes by Greg McDonald lists three varieties based on die variations: 1/2 (obverse Type 1, reverse Type 2) with reference 003, 1/3 with reference 003a (which seems to be the "regular" type listed elsewhere) and a 2/3 pattern which is proof only, reference 003b.

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Australian Half Sovereign 1856: Known varieties
Variety Die variety 1/2
Mintage Issued: unknown
Details

Die variety 1/2 as per Australian Coins and Banknotes by Greg McDonald.

Variety Pattern (Die variety 2/3, proof only)
Mintage Issued: unknown
Details

Die variety 2/3 as per Australian Coins and Banknotes by Greg McDonald.
Australian Half Sovereign 1856: References to Information Used
SourceEditionAboutLinkNotes
Museums Victoria Collections 2016 Coin description link
Renniks, Australian Coin and Banknote Values 1965 Mint
Renniks, Australian Coin and Banknote Values 1965 Mintage
McDonald, Australian Coins and Banknotes Varieties Die varieties
Museums Victoria Collections 2016 Design link
All (13) coins of type: Australian Half Sovereign
Coin NameMintageEffigyLegend
Australian Half Sovereign 1853 (pattern) unknown Queen Victoria - Fillet Head VICTORIA D : G : BRITANNIAR : REG : F : D : 1853
Australian Half Sovereign 1855 21,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head with Banksia VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D: 1855
Australian Half Sovereign 1856 478,000 Queen Victoria - Fillet Head VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REGINA F: D: 1856
Australian Half Sovereign 1857 537,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head with Banksia VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D: 1857
Australian Half Sovereign 1858 483,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head with Banksia VICTORIA D : G : BRITANNIAR : REG : F : D : 1858
Australian Half Sovereign 1859 341,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head with Banksia VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D: 1859
Australian Half Sovereign 1860 156,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head with Banksia VICTORIA D : G : BRITANNIAR : REG : F : D : 1860
Australian Half Sovereign 1861 186,500 Queen Victoria - Young Head with Banksia VICTORIA D : G : BRITANNIAR : REG : F : D : 1861
Australian Half Sovereign 1862 210,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head with Banksia VICTORIA D : G : BRITANNIAR : REG : F : D : 1862
Australian Half Sovereign 1863 150,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head with Banksia VICTORIA D : G : BRITANNIAR : REG : F : D : 1863
Australian Half Sovereign 1864 141,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head with Banksia VICTORIA D : G : BRITANNIAR : REG : F : D : 1864
Australian Half Sovereign 1865 62,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head with Banksia VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D: 1865
Australian Half Sovereign 1866 154,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head with Banksia VICTORIA D:G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F:D: 1866
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Australian Half Sovereign 1856: Details
CountryNew South Wales
CurrencyNSW Pound
PeriodAustralian Sovereign (1855 - 1870)
Coin TypeAustralian Half Sovereign
Issued1856
MonarchQueen Victoria
EffigyQueen Victoria - Portrait by James Wyon (Fillet Head)
ReverseImperial Crown - St Edward's Crown and the Tudor Crown
Face Value1/2 (x Pound)
Total Mintage478,000
CurrentNo
Material0.9167 Gold
DesignerLeonard Charles Wyon
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationCoin Alignment (Axis 6)
Size19.3000 mm
Mass3.9940 g
OCC IDYAPV-ZOYR-CGMK-ELMD
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Australian Half Sovereign 1856: Photos
ImageDetails
Australian Half Sovereign 1856: Photo Coin - Half Sovereign, New South Wales, Australia, 1856 / thumbnail Coin - Half Sovereign, New South Wales, Australia, 1856
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Source
Australian Half Sovereign 1856: Photo Coin - Half Sovereign, New South Wales, Australia, 1856 / thumbnail Coin - Half Sovereign, New South Wales, Australia, 1856
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Source
Australian Half Sovereign 1856: Catalogue Reference IDs
SourceReference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsAustralia KM# 1
Friedberg, Gold Coins of the WorldAustralia 10
McDonald, Australian Coins and BanknotesMcD 003a (regular), McD 003 (1/2 variety)
Renniks, Australian Coin and Banknote ValuesH2
McDonald, Australian Coins and BanknotesMcD 003b (Pattern)
Relevant Links
Museums Victoria: Coin - Half Sovereign, New South Wales, Australia, 1856