These coins are a gold sovereign and half sovereign struck at the new Sydney Mint in its first two years of operation, 1855 to 1856. Although these coins should have been current throughout Australasia from 1855, the necessary proclamation by the Governor of Victoria was not issued until 1857 - by which time they had already been proclaimed current in Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Mauritius!

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Obverse – Head of Queen Victoria facing left. Around the head is the Latin legend VICTORIA D:G: BRITANNIAR: REGINA F:D: 1855 [Victoria, by the grace of God Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith 1855].		Reverse – Below a crown is a wreath of olive branches surrounding the word AUSTRALIA around which is the legend SYDNEY MINT ONE SOVEREIGN.

Sovereign transferred from National Gallery of Victoria, 1976