1887 is more than a Victorian date on a coin. It marks Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee and the introduction of the Jubilee Head portrait on British coinage, a design that appeared on circulating silver and gold coins from that year and remained on several denominations into the early 1890s. The range is unusually broad, from individual copper and small silver pieces to gold sovereigns, proof issues and complete official sets. A long proof set contained 11 coins, while the short version contained 7, giving collectors distinct ways to approach the same anniversary. This guide takes a practical route through queen victoria 1887 coins. Identify the denomination, study the portrait and reverse, check variety clues, assess scarcity and condition, then choose the buying format that suits your collection. Grade, provenance, variety attribution and auction terms can change the appeal and value of an otherwise similar coin.
1. Cavalier Coins Homepage
Cavalier Coins is a useful starting point for collectors who haven't yet decided whether their interest lies in a single 1887 Jubilee coin, a denomination run or a broader Victorian collection. The online retailer carries coins and banknotes from around the world, with fixed-price listings alongside weekly eBay auctions. That combination suits two different buying habits. You can search for a clearly defined item, or monitor auctions for pieces that appear only intermittently.
For Queen Victoria 1887 coins, the attraction is the ability to compare individual examples with themed collecting opportunities. A beginner might start with a worn silver denomination to learn the Jubilee portrait, while a more experienced collector might watch for a crown, sovereign or group lot. Cavalier Coins also offers themed sets involving vintage UK pennies, half crowns and commemorative coins, which can help build a collection around period, denomination or design rather than chasing one headline rarity.
A flexible route for different collectors
The site's weekly auction format can be particularly useful when stock changes quickly. Availability may fluctuate, so a desired 1887 issue won't necessarily remain listed. International buyers should also factor in shipping, customs and delivery times before bidding or ordering.
Cavalier Coins has a wider role than ordinary retail sales. Bulk buyers can discuss discounted direct purchases, and charities can arrange the sale of donated coin and banknote collections to raise funds. That makes the business relevant not only to individual collectors, but also to resellers and organisations handling large quantities.
- Fixed-price browsing: Compare available coins without waiting for an auction.
- Weekly auctions: Watch for limited-availability or high-demand pieces.
- Themed collecting: Use sets to develop a focused UK or commemorative collection.
- Bulk support: Contact the team about larger purchases or donated collections.
The best use of this route is discovery. Start with the denomination and condition you want, then use changing stock to refine your shortlist rather than buying because the date says 1887.
Website: Cavalier Coins
2. Chards
Chards suits collectors who want the listing itself to do more of the educational work. The Blackpool and London dealer commonly handles 1887 Golden Jubilee material across gold and silver, including sovereigns, half-sovereigns, crowns, double florins and complete sets. Listings may show the exact coin, state the grade and include catalogue references such as DISH, Spink or Marsh.
That level of attribution matters because “1887 Jubilee” isn't a complete description. Two coins with the same date may differ in denomination, finish, variety and preservation. A collector comparing a circulation crown with a proof set needs more than a large photograph. The description should explain what the coin is and how the dealer has identified it.
Useful for variety-led collecting
Chards also publishes educational material on Jubilee Head varieties. That helps buyers move beyond the basic question of whether a coin is genuine and towards the more interesting question of which variety they own. Variety research can become a collecting route in its own right, especially for buyers who prefer several carefully attributed examples over a single broad type set.
The dealer offers different fulfilment choices, including insured delivery, in-person collection and storage options. Those details are practical rather than decorative. A valuable or heavily certified coin may justify a different delivery and storage decision from a modest circulated piece.
Practical rule: Read the denomination, finish, stated grade and variety attribution as one description. None of those details should be judged in isolation.
The main limitation is availability. Fine examples and scarce varieties can sell quickly, while prices may differ substantially between ordinary and premium pieces. Buyers should compare the exact coin photographs, the grading language and the return terms before treating a listing as a market benchmark.
Website: Chards
3. The Britannia Coin Company
The Britannia Coin Company suits collectors who want to begin with an accessible type coin while keeping a route open to deeper Jubilee research. Its stock can include 1887 crowns, individual gold and silver pieces, specimen material, currency strikes and complete Golden Jubilee sets. A single representative coin can therefore become the starting point for a date-and-denomination collection, a variety study or a matched set.
Its clearest strength is explanation. Product descriptions and in-house videos help newer buyers distinguish a proof, a specimen and an ordinary currency strike. Photographs serve a similar purpose. They can show surface marks, edge knocks, contact wear and the remaining sharpness of Victoria's portrait and the reverse design, much as a close inspection at a dealer's counter would.
Match the listing to the collecting route
Consider two buyers. One may want a mid-grade circulation coin to complete a run by date and denomination. Another may prefer a higher-grade piece or complete set, where consistent presentation and historical format matter more. The mixed inventory supports both routes, although scarce or especially desirable pieces may be gone before a buyer is ready.
The company also buys and sells coins, giving collectors a way to discuss material beyond the current online listings. That service may help an owner with several related Victorian denominations decide whether to sell, exchange or upgrade pieces as a group.
Rather than following a fixed checklist, compare the listing with your collecting purpose:
- For beginners: Use the videos and descriptions to learn terms before judging condition.
- For type collectors: Compare individual crowns with the available gold and silver denominations.
- For set builders: Check whether specimen or Jubilee set pieces have consistent descriptions and presentation.
- For experienced buyers: Review photographs, variety attribution and stated grade before comparing premium examples.
Condition affects appeal because higher-grade coins show fewer marks and retain sharper detail, while format and documentation affect how confidently a set can be compared with another. The sound purchase is the coin whose quality, denomination, format and paperwork fit the collection, not automatically the costliest listing.
Website: The Britannia Coin Company
4. The Royal Mint Historic Coins
The Royal Mint's historic coin platform offers a different kind of buying experience. It occasionally presents authenticated 1887 pieces such as Five Pounds, Double Sovereigns, Sovereigns and Half-Sovereigns, often with third-party certification from NGC or PCGS. Selected coins may also carry Royal Mint provenance, which appeals to buyers who place particular weight on institutional history and documented presentation.
The 1887 series is especially suitable for this approach because the Jubilee issue exists in both circulating and proof formats. The complete long proof set contained four gold coins and seven silver coins, and surviving museum documentation identifies the set as a Royal Mint production made in the United Kingdom in 1887. Those details give set collectors a clear historical framework when comparing a complete set with an individual gold subset. Jubilee coinage documentation
Provenance, certification and presentation
Royal Mint research pages, booklets and periodic auctions can add context before a purchase. That background helps collectors understand how the Jubilee design fits into British coinage, while certification gives an independent encapsulated assessment of a particular coin's condition and authenticity.
A slab confirms how a coin was assessed. It doesn't remove the need to understand the denomination, variety, surfaces or purchase terms.
Stock is limited and rotational, so a particular date, denomination or grade may not be available when you look. Prices can also sit at the upper end because curation, certification and provenance form part of the offer. Buyers should decide whether those benefits matter for their collecting goal before comparing the item with an uncertified example elsewhere.
For anyone interested in the production side of historic coinage, Cavalier Coins' guide to how coins are made provides useful general background. It won't replace specialist attribution, but it can make minting terminology more approachable.
Website: The Royal Mint
5. Spink
Spink gives collectors two ways to pursue Queen Victoria 1887 coins: fixed retail listings and specialist auctions. Its London numismatic operation may offer Jubilee proofs, circulation pieces, crowns, half-sovereigns, and complete or partial sets. This makes the route suitable for both a defined purchase and a patient search for a particular denomination or variety.
The buying format changes the kind of judgement required. A retail listing normally shows the final asking price before checkout. An auction catalogue instead provides a description, images, and bidding conditions, so the buyer must assess the lot and calculate the total cost independently.
Auction descriptions can be especially useful for comparison. Look for the denomination, finish, grade or stated condition, and any variety details. For a set, check whether the group is complete and whether its coins have a reasonably consistent level of preservation. A mixed-condition set may still appeal, but it should be judged differently from a matched presentation.
Two routes, different decisions
Retail stock suits collectors who value a clear transaction and immediate comparison. Auction lots may reveal proofs, unusual varieties, or complete sets that do not appear in shop listings as often. The trade-off is extra preparation, including registration, bidding limits, the buyer's premium, delivery, and any other stated charges.
Before bidding, write down the maximum total you are prepared to pay. A winning bid is only one part of the final amount. A watchlist can also help, since desirable retail pieces may sell before you return.
Spink's cataloguing offers a useful lesson in specialist language. A familiar 1887 date identifies the Jubilee issue, but it does not by itself prove a scarce variety or strong grade. Read the full description, inspect the photographs, and check the terms before treating a coin as a standout piece.
For a related Victorian gold denomination, Cavalier Coins' guide to the Victorian half-sovereign shows why denomination and format matter when comparing Jubilee coins.
Website: Spink
6. Sovereign Rarities
Sovereign Rarities serves collectors pursuing the specialist end of Victorian gold. This London dealer and auctioneer handles 1887 Five Pounds, Double Sovereigns, Sovereigns and Half-Sovereigns, including proof pieces, advanced varieties and patterns. Its research-led cataloguing suits buyers who already recognise the main Jubilee types and now want to compare scarcity, finish and attribution.
The sovereign family is a common starting point, while the larger Five Pounds offers a useful identification reference. The Royal Mint lists the 1887 Queen Victoria Jubilee Head £5 as 22-carat gold, weighing 39.90 g and measuring 36.00 mm across. These details help screen an unencapsulated coin, much like checking a key's shape before testing whether it opens the lock. Weight and diameter alone, however, cannot prove authenticity. Royal Mint Five Pounds specifications
A specialist route for advanced buyers
Sovereign Rarities combines fixed-price listings with auctions, often placing high-end Victorian gold at the centre of its offering. A notable piece may therefore require patience rather than an immediate checkout. Study catalogues, set a clear collecting objective and wait for a lot that matches it.
Specialist descriptions can also change the way a buyer assesses a Jubilee coin. A piece may be a proof, pattern, recognised variety or unusually well-preserved currency strike, rather than another Victorian sovereign. Collectors building knowledge of Queen Victoria gold sovereign coins can use denomination and type as a foundation before examining rarer distinctions.
Collector's question: Are you buying gold content, a Jubilee type, a documented variety or a high-grade numismatic object? Your answer should guide both the dealer route and the comparisons you make.
Fixed-price stock can be limited, and specialist examples may carry substantial premiums. That suits a buyer seeking scarcity or advanced attribution more than someone looking for a straightforward introduction to the Jubilee portrait. Before bidding, confirm the total cost, certification details and return conditions.
Website: Sovereign Rarities
7. The London Coin Company
The London Coin Company suits collectors who want a ready-to-ship coin with its condition recorded by a third-party grading service. Its Queen Victoria categories include graded 1887 Jubilee silver crowns, sovereigns and sets, with listings centred on PCGS and NGC examples. Each slab carries a certification number, allowing the buyer to compare the holder and coin with the published record.
A slab works like an identification card for the coin. It records the service and grade, while the photographs help buyers compare one certified crown with another. That structure is useful for collectors who find informal descriptions such as “good condition” too vague. It does not remove the need to inspect the coin itself. Wear, scratches, toning and signs of cleaning still affect its appeal.
Match certification to your buying purpose
Certification adds convenience and makes comparisons easier, but it can also raise the price above that of a similar raw coin. The extra cost may make sense for a display-ready piece, a purchase where third-party assessment matters, or a search limited to a particular grade range. A raw coin may suit someone who prefers to judge surfaces personally and keep the budget focused on the coin rather than its holder.
The company's online checkout and ready-to-ship stock also create a different buying route from an auction. You can act when a suitable denomination and grade appear, although stock changes as coins sell.
Before ordering, use the listing as a checklist:
- Check the holder: Record the certification service and number.
- Study the coin: Look beyond the slab at marks, toning and cleaned surfaces.
- Compare the format: Decide whether certified presentation justifies the premium over a raw coin.
- Keep the paperwork: Store the listing details and purchase record with the coin.
Price comparisons still need matching denominations and grades. A UK guide lists an 1887 crown at about £25 in lower grades and £165 or more in uncirculated condition. Its 1887 Jubilee Head sixpence examples range from £2 to over £35. These retail-facing figures are indications rather than universal valuations, but they show why a graded crown should not be compared directly with a sixpence or an uncertified coin. UK 1887 pricing examples
Website: The London Coin Company
Queen Victoria 1887 Coins, 7-Dealer Comparison
| Platform | Buying complexity (🔄) | Resource requirements (⚡) | Expected outcomes (⭐ 📊) | Ideal use cases (💡) | Key advantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CavalierCoins Homepage | 🔄 Moderate, fixed-price catalogue + weekly eBay auctions; requires watching/bidding | ⚡ Medium, wide price range; auctions need time; international shipping possible | ⭐⭐⭐, broad selection; good chance for limited/interest-bearing pieces; availability fluctuates 📊 | Building varied collections, bulk purchases, charity disposals | Themed sets, weekly auctions for scarce items, bulk/charity services, active support |
| Chards | 🔄 Low–Medium, straightforward retail, in-person collection and delivery options | ⚡ Medium, price varies by grade; may require travel for inspection | ⭐⭐⭐⭐, transparent attributions, photos of exact coins aid confidence 📊 | Researching Jubilee varieties; buying exact-coin examples; secure storage | Clear grading/variety notes, educational guides, insured delivery |
| The Britannia Coin Company | 🔄 Low, regular retail listings with buy/sell services and explanatory videos | ⚡ Medium, balanced inventory across price levels | ⭐⭐⭐⭐, good educational content and balanced stock; reliable sourcing 📊 | Beginners to advanced collectors seeking context and steady availability | Detailed write-ups and videos, balanced stock suitable for many budgets |
| The Royal Mint – Historic Coins | 🔄 Low, direct retail, periodic auctions; simple purchase flow | ⚡ High, premiums for Mint-backed provenance and graded examples | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, high buyer confidence with Mint provenance and third‑party grading 📊 | Premium-grade purchases where provenance and authentication matter | Mint-backed provenance, NGC/PCGS grading, research publications |
| Spink | 🔄 High, major auctions require registration; retail + auction routes | ⚡ High, buyer's premiums and auction logistics | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, access to rarities and expertly catalogued high-grade lots 📊 | Acquiring rare/proof pieces and investment-grade coins via auction | Deep numismatic expertise, auction access to rarities, expert cataloguing |
| Sovereign Rarities | 🔄 High, specialist auctions and research-driven lots; many top items auction-only | ⚡ High, focused on top-tier Victorian gold with premium pricing | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, specialist focus yields rare, high-grade sovereigns 📊 | Collectors/investors seeking top‑end sovereigns and research-level cataloguing | Specialist sovereign expertise, partnership auctions, research-led descriptions |
| The London Coin Company | 🔄 Low, ready-to-ship online checkout for slabbed/certified coins | ⚡ Medium–High, premiums on certified slabs; quick shipping | ⭐⭐⭐⭐, authenticated, resale-ready slabbed coins; anti-counterfeiting noted 📊 | Buying certified coins for collection or resale with quick delivery | Emphasis on PCGS/NGC slabs, anti-counterfeit details, ready inventory |
Build Your 1887 Jubilee Shortlist With Care
The best 1887 Jubilee purchase starts with a collecting goal, not a seller's headline. Decide whether you want one representative coin, a denomination group, a gold-focused run, a proof set, a variety study or a certified display piece. The series supports all of those routes because the Jubilee Head appeared across gold and silver denominations, in circulation issues and official proof-set formats.
Next, confirm exactly what you're looking at. Record the denomination, metal, finish, stated weight and diameter where available, then compare the portrait and reverse with reliable references. The 1887 crown had an annual mintage of 273,581, while the sovereign had 1,079,756 and the silver threepence had 2,780,761, illustrating how widely production varied across the Jubilee coinage. A higher mintage doesn't automatically make a coin uninteresting, and a lower figure doesn't guarantee that every surviving example is valuable. 1887 crown and denomination data
Condition should be assessed with equal care. Look for wear on the highest design points, hair detail, shield detail, rim knocks, scratches, unnatural brightness and signs of cleaning. Cleaning can remove original surfaces and reduce the premium that a collector might otherwise pay. A Victorian date alone isn't enough, particularly when common worn pieces trade in modest ranges while scarce varieties and high-grade examples can behave very differently. Victoria coin collecting guidance
Use the dealer route that matches the decision you need to make:
- Cavalier Coins: Monitor changing fixed-price stock, themed sets and weekly auction opportunities.
- Chards: Compare exact-coin images, grades and variety references.
- The Britannia Coin Company: Use videos and descriptions while building from accessible pieces.
- The Royal Mint: Consider certified coins with Royal Mint provenance.
- Spink: Choose between retail listings and specialist auctions.
- Sovereign Rarities: Research premium Victorian gold and advanced varieties.
- The London Coin Company: Buy ready-to-ship graded examples with online checkout.
Before paying, calculate the complete cost of a retail or auction purchase. Include the buyer's premium, delivery, insurance, storage, taxes or customs where relevant, and the dealer's return terms. Compare provenance and certification as well as the coin itself. An apparently cheaper raw coin may demand more authentication work, while a slabbed or provenance-backed example may justify a higher outlay for a collector who values documentation and convenience.
Cavalier Coins is a practical place to keep checking as stock changes, especially if you're interested in themed sets, individual UK pieces or weekly auctions. For deeper variety research and premium-grade comparisons, use the specialist dealers above and keep written notes on each candidate. A careful shortlist will help you buy the right 1887 Jubilee coin, rather than just the first one that looks old or rare.
Cavalier Coins Ltd offers fixed-price coins and banknotes, themed UK sets and weekly eBay auctions where collectors can monitor changing opportunities related to Queen Victoria 1887 coins. Visit Cavalier Coins Ltd to browse current stock, explore collection-building options or contact the team about bulk purchases and donated collections.