1852 Adelaide Pound Type II good Extremely Fine
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- Ready to order.
1852 Adelaide Pound Type II good Extremely Fine
Australia’s first gold coin
Notable for the sharp detail in the designs, and underpinned by a rich, golden lustre, we are proud to present this exceptional, high-grade example of the 1852 Adelaide Pound – Australia’s first gold coin.
Gold Rush – crisis in South Australia!
A great Australian rarity, and a genuine artefact of the colonial period, the 1852 Adelaide Pound was an ‘emergency currency’ issue, created as a direct result of the Gold Rush. After the discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851, thousands flocked to the eastern goldfields. Those who abandoned South Australia took a huge amount of hard cash with them, and, faced with both a labour shortage and a currency crisis, the fledgling colony stood on the cusp of ruin.
The saviour of the colony!
An admirable example of Australian ingenuity, South Australian authorities came up with a brave, inspired plan to meet the crisis – the Adelaide Pound. Acting without Royal Assent, the government of the day passed an amendment to the Bullion Act in 1852, authorising that the Adelaide Pound be rushed into production. Nearly 25,000 examples of the 1852 Adelaide Pound were struck from November 1852 until February 1853, and the injection of currency saved the colony from disaster.
Known by approximately 200 examples…
As for the coin itself, the fate of the Adelaide Pound was sealed by a rise in the price of gold. At one point containing gold worth nearly two shillings above face, most coins were melted down by profiteers for the intrinsic value, with those not melted being recalled when the British Government repealed the Bullion Act. As a result, the 1852 Adelaide Pound is known by approximately 200 examples.
A golden opportunity!
Among Australia’s highest profile rarities, standing proudly alongside the 1930 Penny and 1813 Holey Dollar, you must not miss the opportunity to secure this stunning example of Australia’s first gold coin. A coin of enormous eye-appeal, conservatively graded at good Extremely Fine, the 1852 Adelaide Pound before you is sure to be snapped up at speed.
Don’t miss this golden opportunity! Click add to cart now!
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