Sovereign 1859, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

Young head of Queen Victoria facing left wearing ribbon (double fillet) in her hair; the hair is collected up into a knot behind; around, the legend VICTORIA DEI GRATIA (Victoria, by the Grace of God); the designer's initials W.W. (for William Wyon) are incuse on the neck truncation.

In the field below the neck truncation, the date 1859.

The Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom within a plain shield quartered with the arms of England (1 & 4), Scotland (2) and Ireland (3), surmounted by a crown. A branch of laurel is shown on each side of the shield, tied at the bottom by a ribbon. At the bottom, the Thistle, Rose and Shamrock (symbols of Scotland, England and Ireland respectively) are placed with a small flower stop on each side.

Around, the rest of the monarch's legend (continuing from the obverse): BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF: (Queen of the Britains, Defender of the Faith).

Type IA by Marsh.

The Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1649 - 1971 does not list the Ansell variety, and shows a total mintage of 1,547,603. Marsh has the regular coins with a total mintage of 1,547,603 plus the Ansell variety with an additional 167,539.

References to additional information:

[Book] Remick, Jerome. The Guide Book and Catalogue to British Commonwealth Coins, Regency Coins and Stamps Ltd, Winnipeg, Canada, 1971, p258
[Book] Marsh, Michael A. The Gold Sovereign. Cambridge Coins, Cambridge, UK, 1980. (2017 ed. pp 27-40)