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A gold coin (19 mm diameter with plain edge) featuring the Jubilee bust of Queen Victoria wearing imperial crown and facing left, a long veil falls behind the head, the bust is draped and decorated with the Star of the Garter, and also the badge of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India; around, VICTORIA DEI GRATIA, the artist's initials J.E.B. below the shoulder.
On the reverse, a garnished shield, crowned and lined, around, BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID:DEF: and below 1891, the mint mark (if any) at the middle of the date. |
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse features the Jubilee bust of Queen Victoria wearing imperial crown and facing left, a long veil falls behind the head, the bust is draped and decorated with the Star of the Garter, and also the badge of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India; around, the legend VICTORIA DEI GRATIA, the artist's initials J.E.B. below the shoulder. |
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| Reverse | |
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Crowned and garnished shield quartered with the arms of England (1 & 4), Scotland (2) and Ireland (3); around, the monarch's legend BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:, the date 1891 is below divided by the bottom of the shield.
Royal Mint London coins do not have a mint mark. The mint mark for branch mints (S for Sydney Mint or M for Melbourne Mint) is below the shield dividing the date. No die number, unlike earlier coins of the type. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF: 1891 |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Melbourne Mint half sovereign not listed in Marsh, Friedberg, Spink or Renniks.
The "ordinary" Royal Mint London half sovereigns for 1891 are taken to be of the type listed in Spink as 3869D (lower shield).
The "ordinary" Sydney Mint half sovereigns for 1891 are taken to be of the "No JEB" type listed in Spink as 3871D and in McDonald as 038a.
References to additional information:
[Book] Marsh, Michael A. The Gold Half Sovereign. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Coins, 1982. pp. 13-40. |
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