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Australia Victoria Jubilee Head

1887-S Narrow JEB Half Sovereign reverse 1887-S Narrow JEB Half Sovereign obverse

1887-S Narrow JEB Half Sovereign

Mintage:134,000
Figure shared with:
Medium JEB
Wide JEB
Victoria Shield Large Head Beaded Reverse
Victoria Shield Large Head Crenulated Reverse
Mint:Sydney Mint Monarch:Victoria Reverse Designer:J. B. Merlen Obverse Designer:Sir J. E. Boehm Size:19mm Weight:3.99g Edge:Reeded Composition:91.67% Gold
8.33% Copper

Values

Sales History

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The 1887 half sovereigns come in a number of varieties distinguishable by the place of manufacture which can be Sydney, Melbourne or London and by the positioning of the obverse designer's initials, JEB. The mint can be determined by a mintmark , or absence of underneath the shield on the reverse. An S indicates this issue, the Sydney mint, an M indicates Melbourne while the London mint issues do not display a mintmark.

S mintmark for Sydney (this issue) S mintmark for Sydney (this issue)

M mintmark for Melbourne M mintmark for Melbourne

No mintmark on London mint issues No mintmark on London mint issues

The three varieties of designer's initials are wide, medium and narrow, also known as Small Spread, Normal and Close respectively. The Wide spaced variety features short or crushed characters while the Medium and Narrow feature full sized characters with varying spacing between them.

Wide or Short Spread Spacing Wide or Short Spread Spacing

Medium or Normal Spacing Medium or Normal Spacing

Narrow or Close JEB Narrow or Close JEB

All three Sydney mint issues are of similar scarcity in lower grades though the wide spaced letters are quite scarce in higher grades; Seemingly less have managed to survive.

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