Collection: Australian History Museum
Gold Sovereign
| Accession # | AHM000255 |
| Creator | Sydney Mint |
| Culture | |
| Period | 19th Century |
| Date | 1867 |
| Provenance | Sydney, Australia |
| Material/s | Gold |
| Dimensions | 2.15cm (w) |
| Collection | Australian History Museum |
| Source | AHM, Macquarie University |
| Classification | Coin |
Gold Sovereign Obverse & Reverse
The first Australian gold sovereign was minted in 1855 in the Sydney mint. The AHM000255 sovereign was minted in 1867 and was designed by Leonard Charles Wyon. The obverse is engraved with a bust of Queen Victoria and around the edges is written "VICTORIA D:G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D: 1867". The Reverse side shows a banksia wreath topped by a royal crown, and encircling the word "AUSTRALIA", around the edge is written "SYDNEY MINT. ONE SOVEREIGN". Both the reverse and obverse show a thin rim/ raised border. This design continued until 1870 when the Sydney Mint reverted to the reverse imperial shield design and St George reverse sovereigns.
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Syllabus Links
- Stage 3 Syllabus Links
- identify change and continuity and describe the causes and effects of change on Australian society (HT3-3)
- apply a variety of skills of historical inquiry and communication (HT3-5)
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Stage 3 History - The Australian Colonies
- The impact of a significant development or event on a colony; for example, the gold rushes (ACHHK095)
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Historical concepts
- Continuity and change - some things change over time and others remain the same.
- Cause and effect - events, decisions or developments in the past that produce later actions, results or effects.
- Significance - the importance of an event, development or individual/group, eg determining the importance (significance) of various peoples' contributions to the development of a colony.
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Historical skills - Comprehension
- chronology, terms and concepts respond, read and write to show understanding of historical matters sequence historical people and events (ACHHS098, ACHHS117)
- use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS099, ACHHS118)
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Historical skills - Analysis and use of sources
- locate information relevant to inquiry questions in a range of sources (ACHHS102, ACHHS121)
- compare information from a range of sources (ACHHS103, ACHHS122)
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Historical Skills - Research
- identify and pose questions to inform an historical inquiry (ACHHS100, ACHHS119)
- identify and locate a range of relevant sources to support an historical inquiry (ACHHS101, ACHHS120)
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Historical Skills - Explanation and communication
- use a range of communication forms (oral, written, graphic) and digital technologies. (ACHHS106, ACHHS125)
- Stage 3 Syllabus Links
- Educational Resources
- Online Resources
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Bibliography/References
- Atkins, J (1889) The Coins and Tokens of the Possessions and Colonies of the British Empire Bernard Quaritch, London
- Hanley, T and James, B (1966) Collecting Australian Coins Murray.
- McDonald, G (2013) The Pocketbook Guide to Australian Coins and Banknotes Greg McDonald Publishing and Numismatics Pty Limited
- Rees, P. (2016) Inside the Vault; The History and Art of Australian Coinage NewSouth Publishing
Cite this page
Australian History Museum (2019). Gold Sovereign, AHM000255. https://objectbasedlearning.com//australian-history-museum/AHM000255 (accessed on: 05 April 2019).Rights & Permissions
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