Hey mate! The 1885 Sydney Mint Young Head Sovereign in average condition is currently valued at around $950 in today’s market for the coin alone. It’s not a particularly scarce reverse, and its condition doesn’t add much premium over spot price if you were to liquidate it. While I can’t comment on the case, there’s generally no necessity—aside from sentimental reasons—to store bullion-grade sovereigns individually.
Despite its age, this full sovereign is still considered legal tender in Britain, with a face value of £1. This can be a significant advantage for investors, as any profits from the coin’s appreciation are exempt from Capital Gains Tax.
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1885 Young Head Sovereign: Current Value and Investment Insights
The sovereign 1885 is a British gold coin minted under the reign of Queen Victoria in London, also struck at the colonial Australian branch mints in Melbourne and Sydney. The 1885 Queen Victoria “Young Head” Gold Sovereigns, (originally a circulating coin, now a bullion coin) are now VAT free in UK and provided they were minted after 1817 and a legal tender coin, free from Capital Gains Tax for UK residents. They also are VAT free in European Union, the sovereigns meeting the criteria established in Article 344(1), point (2) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 (special scheme for investment gold). The 1885 Young Head sovereign were minted with 2 different reverses: Shield and St. George.
| Mint mark | Mint | Mintage |
| L | London | 717,723 |
| M | Melbourne, Australia | 2,967,143 |
| S | Sydney, Australia | 1,486,000 |
| Total | 5.170.866 |
| Diameter (mm) | Weight (gr) | Thickness (mm) |
| 22,05 mm | Gross weight: 7,99 Gr Fine Gold: 7,32 Gr – 0.2354 troy ounce. | 1,52 mm |
| Edge and Orientation. | Millesimal fineness. | Composition. |
| ➣ Reeded / Milled ➣ Medal alignment ↑↑ | 22 carats; 917 ‰ | 91.67% gold and 8.33% Copper. |
| Mint and Mintmark | Financial Features | Mintage. |
| « The Royal Mint » London and Australia mints. | Type: bullion coin. Production Years: 1817–present. Legal tender in the United Kingdom, value £1 = 20 shillings. | 1885 with 5.170.866 bullion coins. |
| Reverse: | Portrait by William Wyon. Matte background with matte bust of queen Victoria facing left. VICTORIA D:G: BRITANNIAR REG: FID:DEF:” Translated from Latin: Victoria by the Grace of God King of the Britons, Defender of the Faith.) |
| Obverse: | Benedetto Pistrucci’s St George on horseback slaying the dragon right; 1885 and B.P. in exergue inscribed at the bottom. |
Australia 1885 Gold Sydney Sovereign « Victoria DEI GRATIA » with St George Back. S Mint.
The 1885 Sydney St George Reverse Sovereign, with a mintage of 1,486,000 coins, is valued at $1,500 in Uncirculated condition according to the latest Renniks coin values guide. This particular coin, graded as PCGS MS62, is a sought-after piece among collectors due to its limited mintage and historical significance.
Reverse Australia 1885 Gold Sydney Sovereign
Obverse Australia 1885 Gold Sydney Sovereign
Australia 1885 Gold Melbourne Sovereign « Victoria DEI GRATIA » with St George Back. M Mint.
The 1885 Melbourne St George Reverse Sovereign (S-3857B) is notable availbale, with 2,967,143 coins minted in Australia. But One of the most sought-after varieties in this series is the version with William Wyon’s initials (WW) buried within the truncation of Queen Victoria’s bust. In this rare variety, the WW initials, featuring serifs, intrude into the fields, distinguishing it from other sovereigns. This design also includes the BP initials on the reverse. Collectors find this variety especially challenging to locate, even in circulated grades. Variations in tail length and the size or presence of designer initials are also common across the young head sovereign series, but the buried WW initials make the 1885-M particularly significan
Reverse Australia 1885 Gold Melbourne Sovereign
Obverse Australia 1885 Gold Melbourne Sovereign
How to 1885 a Gold Sovereign with St George Back.
A relatively flat design allows the young head obverse to show little wear. The mains point to check for strike & wear are :
- The hair juste on the double ribbon,
- The hair above the ear,
- The knotted bun area,
- The peaks of the eyebrow,
- As always, the rims and fields.
When collectors examine a sovereign with the St George reverse, there are a certain number of points which are examined closely for strike & wear. From top to bottom, they are:
- The crest of St George’s helmet;
- St George’s chest, together with the strap & pin fastening his cloak;
- The bridle as it crosses the horse’s neck;
- The muscle separation in St George’s upper thigh;
- The horse’s forequarters & rump;
- The “bloodline” in the sword;
- The upper band across St George’s boot;
- The dragon’s torso below it’s neck.
| Specifications |
| Composition :91.67% Gold 8.33% Copper Gold Content :0.2354 oz Edge: Reeded Weight :7.9881 grams Size :21.5 mm Reverse Jean Baptiste Merlen Obverse: William Wyon |