1897 G.BRITAIN LOW SEA LEVEL PENNY MS63 RD

The 1897 Great Britain penny (Queen Victoria) is a bronze circulation coin from the late Victorian period, and the “low sea level” version refers to a reverse design variety found on some of these pennies.

Description

The coin features:

• Obverse (front):
  A mature portrait of Queen Victoria (the “Veiled Head” or “Old Head” bust), surrounded by the Latin legend:
  “VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITT REGINA FID DEF IND IMP”.
• Reverse (back):
  The seated figure of Britannia, holding a trident and shield, with a lighthouse and ship in the background. The date 1897 appears below.

“Low sea level” variety

On the reverse design, the “sea level” refers to the horizontal water line in the Britannia scene.

• In the low sea level variety, the water line sits lower relative to Britannia’s figure, typically closer to the base of the design.
• It is a die variety, caused by different reverse dies used during production rather than a design change.
• It is considered a collectible subtype, but it is still fairly common within the 1897 penny series.

Collectability & value (general)

• The 1897 penny had a large mintage (over 20 million coins), so most examples are common in circulated condition.
• The low sea level variety is usually:
  • Moderately collectible rather than rare
  • More valuable in higher grades (uncirculated / MS condition)
• Auction records show typical examples often selling in the tens of pounds/dollars, with higher-grade certified pieces reaching more.

Key reference details

• Coin type: Bronze penny
• Reign: Queen Victoria
• Date: 1897
• Catalog numbers: KM 790 / Spink S-3961
• Composition: Bronze (9.4 g)

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