1874 Sov S-3853B Shield MS61 认证号81493194, PCGS号206986

Lot #1110. Victoria (1837-1901). gold Sovereign, 1874, die number 32 on reverse. Graded by PCGS as MS61, there is one graded as a 62 with NGC which according to our consignor is this coin when previously graded by that service having dropped one point when cross-graded, the London 1874 shield variety extremely rare. PCGS certification 206986.61/81493194. 1874 represents the last year for the shield Sovereign at the London Royal Mint and is therefore the rarest. The calendar year mintage for the Sovereign this year is a mere 520,713 but this also includes the more numerous St George reverse pieces. The shield reverse must have totalled a mere fraction of this mintage. The shield Sovereigns of this period have individually numbered dies, a way of identifying which press on which journey of which day minted the coinage, and though this one is 28, only seven different die numbers are purported to exist as defined by Marsh, but we have only ever seen numbers 28, 32 and 33. The Latin legends translates on obverse as ""Victoria by the Grace of God,"" and on the reverse as ""Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith."""