1888 Proof Sovereign struck at the Melbourne Mint as a Presentation Piece

Gold has been a symbol of status and wealth throughout the ages and is presented here in one of its most prestigious forms.

A limited mintage gold proof coin. One of two sighted at auction.

And while Philip Spalding is remembered for his love of Holey Dollars. It must be said that he was a sophisticated collector on many levels, guided in his selections by Barrie Winsor. And this 1888 Proof Sovereign, featuring the Jubilee portrait of Queen Victoria, was one of his prized possessions.

A reverse of St George & the Dragon and an obverse Jubilee portrait.

Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee, the fiftieth anniversary of her accession, on 20 June 1887.

The Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria that was depicted on Australia’s sovereigns between 1871 and 1887 was replaced with a Jubilee portrait designed by Austrian medallist Joseph Edgar Boehm.

The Jubilee portrait continued uninterrupted on Australia's sovereigns from 1887 up to (and including) 1893 when Australia introduced Queen Victoria’s Veiled Head portrait.

Jubilee Proof Sovereigns are extremely rare.

When sizing up a coin and evaluating its potential for growth, a buyer needs to consider two aspects.

1. The rarity of the coin itself.
2. And the rarity of the sector of the market to which it belongs.

The adage, ‘less is best’ holds true in the rare coin industry for you don't want the market to be flooded with examples from the same sector.

The ideal ‘investment’ scenario occurs when the coin is rare. And the sector is occupied by very few other coins. This coin a case in point!

So how does this Proof 1888 Sovereign stack up?

As detailed above, this Proof 1888 Sovereign is rare. One of two sighted at auction. And it is noted that Proof Sovereigns out of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee era (1887 to 1893) are amazingly limited in numbers as the text below reveals.

Sydney Mint Jubilee Proofs

• The Sydney Mint struck proofs in the very first year of the design, 1887. Two examples have been sighted.
• The Sydney Mint did NOT strike any proofs in the years 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891 and 1892.
• The Sydney Mint struck proofs in the last year of the design, 1893. Only one example has been sighted.

Melbourne Mint Jubilee Proofs

• The Melbourne Mint struck proofs in the first year of the design, 1887. The coin has never been sighted.
• The Melbourne Mint struck proofs in 1888. Two examples have been sighted. This coin. And another example that was last sighted at auction in 1994.
• The Melbourne Mint struck proofs in 1889. One example has been sighted, the last auction appearance occurring in 1988.
• The Melbourne Mint is said to have struck proofs in 1890. They have never been sighted.
• The Melbourne Mint did NOT strike any proofs in the years 1891 and 1892.
• The Melbourne Mint struck Jubilee proofs in 1893, none of which have ever been sighted.

Aside from their extreme scarcity, proof gold coins are a delight to the eye, appealing to those who seek perfection in coining.