1908 Edward VII Melbourne Sovereign 🇬🇧

[Serendipity]

1908 Edward VII Melbourne Mint Sovereign EF

Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910, an immensely popular and affable monarch and a leader of society.

DESCRIPTION

Edward VII (1901-10), gold sovereign, 1908 M, Melbourne Mint, Australia, bare head right, tiny DeS. raised below truncation for engraver George William de Saulles, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, EDWARDVS VII D:G:BRITT:OMN:REX F:D:IND:IMP: (“Edward VII, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britons, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India”), rev. struck en médaille, St. George on horseback slaying dragon with sword right, plumed helmet with three-strand streamer, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, tiny WWP raised under lance for Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, mint mark M at centre of ground-line, date in exergue, tiny B.P. raised in upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled, weight 8.00g (Bentley 820; McDonald 229; Marsh 192; M.C.E. 627; S.3971). Some light bag marks, hairline scratch in obverse field, otherwise extremely fine, better than usually seen. Ex Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada, purchased c.1998. Calendar year mintage 3,078,500 of which 1,648 went for pyx trial.

Photograph by W. & D. Downey, 1900s.