2017 Australian Half Sovereign Gold Proof Coin from The Perth Mint

The Perth Mint released the 2017 Australian half sovereign with a denomination of $15. The 2017 Australian half sovereign is made from 91.67% pure gold (22 carat) in utmost proof quality. The history of gold sovereign production in Australia continues with the new coin since the Sydney Mint produced its first Type I sovereign on 23 June 1855. Royal Mint opened the Sydney Mint on 14 May 1855 and other branches later opened in Melbourne and Perth. From 1871 the coins featured Imperial designs with the addition of “S”, “M” or “P” mintmarks respectfully, to identify their place of manufacture. The Sydney branch produced more than 400 million coins till date!

The 2017 Australia Half Sovereign features St. Edwards crown along with a laurel wreath and the word AUSTRALIA — elements from the Leonard Charles Wyon original Type I Sovereign with additional inscriptions read PERTH MINT and SOVEREIGN. Each coin is issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965 and represents the Ian Rank-Broadley’s effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the monetary denomination, and the 2017 year-date on its obverse.

The coin weighs 7.9881 grams thus this Proof Gold Sovereign contains exactly 113 grains (7.322 g or .2354 troy ounces) of pure gold, as sovereigns have for the past two hundred years. The coin is encapsulated and shipped with a special wooden presentation case and accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. The Perth Mint will release only 1,000 of the Australia Sovereign 2017 Gold Proof Coins worldwide.