1/2 Sovereign - Victoria

The Jubilee coinage of 1887 replaced the long-running "bun head" portrait with Boehm's now-controversial crowned effigy, which drew immediate public ridicule for making Victoria appear squat and ungainly. The criticism was sharp enough that it accelerated the adoption of de Saulles's Old Head portrait by 1893 — closing the Jubilee type's window to just six years.

Half sovereigns from this series were struck across London, Melbourne, and Sydney, with branch mint output playing an increasingly significant role as Australian gold production expanded.