AUSTRALIE - AUSTRALIA Victoria (1837-1901). Half Sovereign 1893, M, Melbourne. Av. VICTORIA. DEI. GRA. BRITT. REGINA. FID. DEF. IND. IMP. Crowned and veiled bust to left of Victoria; below, signature T.B. Rv. Saint George slaying the dragon; in exergue (date) and signature B. P; (workshop) on the ground line. S.3879 (Extremely rare) - Marsh 497 (R6) - Fr.29; Gold - 19 mm - 12 h Top Pop: this is the finest graded example! From a Baldwin's of St James 36 sale, 25 June 2019, no. 75. NGC AT 58 (4862654-001). One of Australia's greatest rarities and without doubt the finest example known! Only minor handling marks browning the fields, with remnants of the original gloss around the reliefs. A superb copy. The year 1893 saw a financial crisis in Australia, with many banks going bankrupt. The Melbourne Mint, faced with the economic crisis, did not produce any half-sovereigns from 1888 to 1895, with the exception of 1893 when it issued 110,000 Jubilee half-sovereigns. Among them, a few examples with veiled heads were minted, perhaps 24, of which only rare examples are known: two in the collection of the Royal Australian Mint and around three in private hands, from a gold dispersal by the Reserve Bank of Australia in 2005, all three in poor condition. * Following Council Directive (EU) 2022/542 of April 5, 2022, implemented in national law from 01/01/2025, buyers from within the EU have to pay 5.5% VAT on the hammer price of this lot. * Following Council Directive (EU) 2022/542 of April 5, 2022, implemented in national law from 01/01/2025, buyers from within the EU have to pay 5.5% VAT on the hammer price of this lot.