Homepage / Bullion Coins: U.K. Coins / U.K. Gold Sovereigns
Last Updated on 10/19/2024
Great Britain (UK)
Gold Sovereigns
The size of a Full Gold SovereignThe Full Sovereign bullion coin that was first minted in 1489 and minted today contains .2354 troy oz. of gold, making it roughly the same size as a U.S. nickel.
The British Gold Sovereign is available in five sizes: the Five (Quintuple) Sovereign (1820), the Double Sovereign (1820), the Full Sovereign (1489), the Half Sovereign (1817), and the Quarter Sovereign (2009).
(photo (below) provide courtesy of The Royal Mint)
British Gold Sovereigns are the oldest gold coins still in production and one of the most popular gold coins in the world.
One little-known fact that some UK residents are unaware of is that bullion coins from The Royal Mint are Tax-exempt from Capital Gains due to the coins' status as legal British currency, giving UK residents who purchase these coins added profit when they decide to sell.
The History of the Gold Sovereign
On October 28, 1489, King Henry VII ordered the officers of the Royal Mint to create "A new money of gold," the result of his order was the first gold Sovereign.
The name "English Gold Sovereigns" originated from the monarchy's depiction on the coin's obverse side.
The earliest gold sovereigns were minted of 23-karat gold; nevertheless, in 1526, the fineness of the currency was decreased to 22-karat gold, which became known as Crown Gold.
Crown Gold is a gold and copper alloy that is considerably less prone to wear than the softer 23-karat gold of earlier gold sovereigns.
The Royal Mint struck Gold Sovereigns from 1489 until 1603, when James
I, crowned King of England and Scotland, chose not to have his likeness
on the obverse side of the Sovereign.
Over the next two hundred years, the Gold Sovereign was gradually replaced by other gold coins of the British Empire.
After the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, the British government reintroduced the Gold Sovereign with The Great Recoinage Law of 1816; minting of the Gold Sovereign restarted in 1817 and continues to this day. (photo provided courtesy of the Royal Mint)
The 1816 Great Recoinage Law set the Sovereign's gold content at 7.32 grams (113 grains / 0.2354 troy oz) with a total weight of 7.99 grams.
Since 1817, the Gold Sovereign has been minted in these British Commonwealths: Australia (1855-1931), India (1918), Canada (1908-1919), and South Africa (1923).
At the height of the British Empire, the Gold Sovereign was the most widely circulated currency.
Below, you will find the mintage figures of the Full, Half and Quarter gold sovereigns, dating back to 1957.
Design of the
Gold Sovereign
The 2024 Gold Sovereign is made from rose gold.
Obverse
The British Royal Family has had the custom of changing the way a monarch faces on coins since the 17th century. From 1952 through 2022, Queen Elizabeth II faced the right, and now the King of England, Charles III, faces the left.
Martin Jennings, the designer of King Charles III's portrait, stated the following about the effigy: "It is a privilege to sculpt the first official effigy of His Majesty and to receive his personal approval for the design."
The obverse side of all the United Kingdom's 2024 coins features the effigy of King Charles III.
Inscriptions:
- CHARLES III
- · DEI ∙ GRA ∙ REX (stands for "Dei Gratia Rex," a Latin title meaning "By the Grace of God, King")
- · FID ∙ DEF · (stands for "Fidei Defensor," a Latin title that translates into "Defender of the Faith") The Latin phrases have been used on British coinage since the 16th century.
- MJ - Martin Jenning's initials under the King's neck. (click image to enlarge)
Read more about the Royal Mint's unveiling of the King Charles III's effigy here.
The Government of the United Kingdom has guaranteed the bullion coins as legal tender and is Tax-Exempt from Capital Gains for the residents of the United Kingdom.
Coin Photos provided courtesy of the Royal Mint
Reverse
The reverse side of the British Sovereign coin depicts St. George slaying the dragon, designed by Benedetto Pistrucci.
Pistrucci's design features Saint George on horseback. His left hand clutches the rein of his horse's bridle; he is not wearing armor other than on his lower leg and the helmet on his head.
Flowing behind St. George is his cloak; his right shoulder bears a balteus for suspending the sword that he clutches in his right hand.
He is otherwise naked, while the saint's horse is over the dragon. The dragon lies wounded by St. George's sword and is dying.
Inscriptions:
- B.P. (Benedetto Pistrucci's initials)
- Year of Issue
The coin's edge is reeded.
Coin Photos provided courtesy of the Royal Mint
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Five (Quintuple) Gold Sovereign
Coin Information
First Introduced:........................1820
IRA Approved:............................No
Grade:........................................Uncirculated
Face Value:................................Five Pound Sterling
Gold Content:.............................1.17 troy oz.
Total Weight:..............................39.94 grams
Purity:........................................91.667% / 916.67 per mille
Karat:........................................22 karat
Diameter:...................................28.40mm
Thickness:..................................2.00mm
Designers Obverse:.....................Ian Rank Broadley FRBS (1998-2014)
Designers Obverse:.....................Jody Clark (2015 - 2022)
Designers Obverse:.....................Martin Jennings (2022 - Present)
Designers Reverse:.....................Benedetto Pistrucci (reverse 1817 to present)
Mint Mark:..................................No
Edge:.........................................Reeded
Double Gold Sovereign
Coin Information
First Introduced:........................1820
IRA Approved:............................No
Grade:........................................Uncirculated
Face Value:................................Two Pound Sterling
Gold Content:.............................0.47 troy oz.
Total Weight:..............................15.976 grams
Purity:........................................91.667% / 916.67 per mille
Karat:........................................22 karat
Diameter:...................................28.40mm
Thickness:..................................2.00mm
Designers Obverse:.....................Ian Rank Broadley FRBS (1998-2014)
Designers Obverse:.....................Jody Clark (2015 - 2022)
Designers Obverse:.....................Martin Jennings (2022 - Present)
Designers Reverse:.....................Benedetto Pistrucci (reverse 1817 to present)
Mint Mark:..................................No
Edge:.........................................Reeded
Full Gold Sovereign
Coin Information
First Introduced:.........................1489
Date Issued in Current Format:....1817
IRA Approved:.............................No
Grade:........................................Uncirculated
Face Value:................................One Pound Sterling
Gold Content:.............................7.32 grams / 0.235 troy oz.
Total Weight:..............................7.987 grams
Purity:........................................91.667% / 916.67 per mille
Karat:.........................................22 karat
Diameter:...................................22.05mm
Thickness:..................................1.52mm
Designers Obverse:.....................Ian Rank Broadley FRBS (1998-2014)
Designers Obverse:.....................Jody Clark (2015 - 2022)
Designers Obverse:.....................Martin Jennings (2022 - Present)
Designers Reverse:.....................Benedetto Pistrucci (reverse 1817 to present)
Mint Mark:..................................No
Edge:.........................................Reeded
Half Gold Sovereign
Coin Information
Introduction:..............................1544
IRA Approved:.............................No
Grade:........................................Uncirculated
Face Value:................................£0.50
Metal Content:............................0.1177 Troy oz.
Total Weight:..............................3.99 grams
Purity:........................................91.667% / 916.67 per mille
Diameter:...................................19.30mm
Thickness:..................................0.99mm
Designers Obverse:.....................Ian Rank Broadley FRBS (1998-2014)
Designers Obverse:.....................Jody Clark (2015 - 2022)
Designers Obverse:.....................Martin Jennings (2022 - Present)
Designers Reverse:.....................Benedetto Pistrucci (reverse 1817 to present)
Mint Mark:..................................No
Edge:.........................................Reeded
Quarter Gold Sovereign
Coin Information
Introduction:.............................2009
IRA Approved:...........................No
Grade:......................................Uncirculated
Face Value:...............................£0.25
Total Weight:............................1.99 grams
Metal Content:..........................0.059 Troy oz.
Purity:......................................91.667% / 916.67 per mille
Karat:......................................22 karat
Diameter:................................13.50mm
Designers Obverse:..................Ian Rank Broadley FRBS (2009-2014)
Designers Obverse:..................Jody Clark (2015 - 2022)
Designers Obverse:..................Martin Jennings (2022 - Present)
Designers Reverse:..................Benedetto Pistrucci (reverse 1817 to present)
Mint Mark:...............................No
Edge:......................................Reeded
Buy
Gold Sovereigns
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Note:
The 2025 Sovereigns, available to purchase later this year, will be the
last opportunity for collectors and investors to own a Sovereign made
from rose gold. From 2026, all Sovereigns struck by The Royal Mint will
be crafted from yellow gold, returning to its 500-year-old roots.
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Gold Sovereign Bullion Coin
Mintage Figures
Year.......Sovereign........Half Sovereign.......Quarter-Sovereign
1957.......2,072,000
1958.......8,700,140
1959.......1,358,228
1960.......unknown
1961.......unknown
1962.......3,000,000
1963.......7,400,000
1964.......3,000,000
1965.......3,800,000
1966.......7,050,000
1967.......5,000,000
1968.......4,203,000
1969.......Not Minted
1970.......Not Minted
1971.......Not Minted
1972....... Not Minted
1973....... Not Minted
1974.......5,002,566
1975.......1 (One Sovereign coin was struck in 1975 as the final coin from Tower Hill in London before the facility closed.)
1976.......4,045,056
1976.......Not Minted
1978.......6,555,000
1979.......9,100,000
1980.......5,100,000
1981.......5,000,000
1982.......2,950,000............2,500,000
From 1983 and 1999, all Sovereign coins were minted in proof form, no bullion coins were minted.
2000.......129,069...............146,822
2001.......49,462.................94,763
2002.......75,264.................61,347
2003.......43,230.................47,818
2004.......30,688.................34,924
2005.......45,542.................30,299
2006.......33,012.................75,000
2007.......27,628.................75,000
2008.......58,894.................75,000
2009.......60,292................50,000..................50,000
2010.......243,158..............16,485..................8,985
2011.......253,773..............50,000..................50,000
2012.......432,925..............250,000................250,000
2013.......261,581.............250,000.................10,000
2014.......261,216...............9,900.................. NA
2015.......113,177..............5,000................... NA
2016.......NA.....................NA....................... NA
2017.......NA.....................NA....................... NA
2018.......NA.....................NA....................... NA
2019.......NA.....................NA....................... NA
2020.......NA.....................NA....................... NA
2021.......NA.....................NA....................... NA
2022.......NA.....................NA....................... NA
2023.......NA.....................NA....................... NA
• NA - Not Available
• For earlier Full & Half Gold Sovereign mintage figures visit: SVCollector.com & BullionbyPost.com
Gold Sovereign - Sources:
The Royal Mint
The Chard "Sovereigns" page
Wikipedia.org - Sovereigns page
Coins of Europe Catalog 1901-2013/2015
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