Empire Mints

[Oxford_Collector 0]

Aidan, You are correct that Krause does list restrikes for 1918I. Please note the restrikes are listed

as proof-like. This probably indicates to me small numbers were minted for numismatic purposes.

Is there any other way to distinguish the pieces other than proof-like? The 1925 British pieces

were struck with a different collar so the edge graining is different and you can tell the

restrikes from the original. But even so, who cares about the difference.

Two more books I have found to help with gaining knowledge about sovereigna are:

The History Of The Gold Sovereign Sir Geoffrey Duveen and H. G. Stride

Royal Sovereign 1489-1989 Edited By G. P. Dyer Librarian and Curator, Royal Mint

I have a 1918 Bombay sovereign, on my scales it weighs in at 8.01g. I would grade it as Good Extra Fine. I bought it for £88 in an eBay auction last autumn. Definitely doesn't look like a fake, I've no idea how to tell if its a restrike or not.

BTW as far as I'm aware, whilst not common, its not that rare a sovereign - see: http://www.andyscouse.com/coins/sovereign_gv.htm and http://allgoldcoins.co.uk/allgold/informat...eign_rarity.htm, certainly more common than the Canadian sovereigns, and I've seen them in eBay (albeit not in as good a grade).

Paul