With several important dies being lost in a shipwreck in late 1871 the Melbourne Mint was not off to a flying start.

The first official year of production for gold sovereigns at the Melbourne branch was 1872 which rendered any 1871 dated dies useless.

Julius Hogarth (Of Hogarth and Erichsen notoriety) was employed by the Melbourne Mint to alter the 1871 dies by adding the number 2 in order to facilitate production of sovereigns at a time in which dies were not always readily available in vast quantities.

This resulted in a highly collectable piece of numismatic history which forms a fascinating link to the foundation of the Melbourne Mint.

Obverse
Queen Victoria

Reverse
Shield

Mint	Melbourne
Grade	good Very Fine