1855 Sydney Mint Proof Sovereign, ex Nobleman Collection

This 1855 Proof Sovereign (and 1855 Proof Half Sovereign) was sold as part of the Murdoch Collection (Lot 615) and appears to have become part of the Nobleman Collection, sold by Sothebys in 1922 as Lot 699. 

At some point in time, post-Nobleman, the pair was broken up. We know that Max Stern Melbourne, handled the proof sovereign in 1969 (when it was offered privately to Barrie Winsor).

The next public sighting was in July 1985, sold by Spink Auctions Australia (Lot 2171) for $32,000, the coin's first and only appearance at an Australian auction.

The coin was acquired by Coinworks from Barrie Winsor in 2000 and is now held with a Coinworks client, alongside the proof half sovereign. is the only 1855 Proof Sovereign and Proof Half Sovereign pair held in Australia.