Victoria 1837-1901 AD

It was initially the Queen's idea to start producing Sovereigns at source rather than gold from the colonies shipped to London. Australia's Sydney branch of the Royal Mint issued its first Gold Young Head Victoria Full Sovereign on June 23, 1855 and featured a uniquely Australian reverse design. High quality 1855 Sovereigns are rarely seen on the open market today.

This touch of colonial pride went unnoticed for a number of years, but in 1871, approval for the Sydney Mint design was revoked by Victoria, and Australian Young Head Sovereigns returned to British tradition. That same year the Royal Mint established its second Australian branch in Melbourne significantly increasing the production of Sovereigns.

Victoria (1819-1901) was queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1837-1901) and empress of India (1876-1901). She was the last of the House of Hanover and gave her name to an era, the Victorian Age. During her reign the English monarchy took on its modern ceremonial character. She and her husband, Prince Consort Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, had nine children, through whose marriages were descended many of the royal families of Europe.