Expert: Dmitry Livshits - 10/18/2009

Question
QUESTION: I have a 1876 Sydney sovereign victoria coin, when i spin the coin round from George on his horse the queens head is upside down, is this normal for this type of coin?

ANSWER: Hi Megan,
Are the side upside down when you hold the coin at the top and bottom and flip it vertically, or when you hold it on the right and left sides and flip it horizontally. If the former, then this is completely normal. If the latter, then it's an oddity. As long as the coin is of the correct size and weight (just under 8 grams) I would not be concerned about it. Due to gold being the heaviest and most dense metal, it would be virtually impossible to use a different material and preserve the dimensions.
As an oddity, you can add about 20%-25% on top of the value.
Thanks for the question! =)

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: When i hold it on the right and left sides and flip it horizontally the queens head is upside down to george on his horse, which is different to any other coin, so is this an oddity?

Answer
Hi again,
Yes, you certainly have an unusual example. There are a couple dates for these sovereigns which have an upside-down variety listed in the books. This is not one of those dates, but other dates do occasionally show up on the market with the wrong alignment. Also worth noting, if you have a coin in mint condition, which is especially rare for Australian sovereigns, the percentage added to the value is even greater.
I would suggest having the coin certified and slabbed by one of the three major grading companies (NGC, PCGS, ANACS) if you plan on selling it in the future. This will save you the trouble of having to prove the coin is an authentic oddity and not a restrike.
Thanks again! =)