Sovereign (British coin)

1049: 306: 385: 932:

to a new mint elsewhere was the Bank of England's report that there was an abnormally large stock of sovereigns and that no harm would result if they could not be coined in London for a year. Advances in technology allowed sovereigns to be individually weighed by automated machines at the Bank of England by the 1890s, and efforts to keep the coin at full weight were aided by an 1889 Act of Parliament which allowed redemption of lightweight gold coin at full face value, with the loss from wear to fall upon the government. The Coinage Act 1889 also authorised the Bank of England to redeem worn gold coins from before Victoria's reign, but on 22 November 1890 all gold coins from before her reign were called in by

979:, restored the Pistrucci George and Dragon design to the sovereign, as part of a drive to beautify the coinage. The return of Saint George was approved by the Queen, and authorised by an Order in Council dated 14 January 1871. The two designs were struck side by side in London from 1871 to 1874, and at the Australian branch mints until 1887, after which the Pistrucci design alone was used. The saint returned to the rarely-struck two- and five-pound pieces in 1887, and was placed on the half sovereign in 1893. Wyon's "Young head" of Queen Victoria for the sovereign's obverse was struck from 1838 until 1887, when it was replaced by the " 1120: 828:, a woman could not take the Hanoverian throne. Thus, both sides of the sovereign had to be changed. Wyon designed his "Young head" portrait of the Queen, which he engraved, for the obverse, and Merlen engraved the reverse, depicting the royal arms inside a wreath, and likely played some part in designing it. The new coin was approved on 26 February 1838, and with the exception of 1840 and 1867, the "shield back" sovereign was struck at the Royal Mint in London every year from 1838 to 1874. Sovereigns struck in London with the shield design between 1863 and 1874 bear small numbers under the shield, representing which 1020: 1415: 1927: 571: 153: 127: 604: 1072:

London. Beginning in 1870, the designs were those used in London, though with a mint mark "S" or "M" (or, later, "P") denoting their origin. The mints at Melbourne and Sydney were allowed to continue striking the shield design even though it had been abandoned at the London facility, and did so until 1887 due to local popularity. The large issues of the colonial mints meant that by 1900, about forty per cent of the sovereigns circulating in Britain were from Australia. Dies for the Australian coinage were made at London.

1941: 1335: 1209:, restoring Britain to that standard, but with gold to be kept in reserve rather than as a means of circulation. The effort failed—Churchill regarded it as the worst mistake of his life—but some lightweight sovereigns were melted and restruck dated 1925, and were released only later. Many of the Australian pieces struck in the postwar period were to back currency, while the South African sovereigns were mostly for export and to pay workers at the gold mines. 941: 1076: 440: 1245:. The small strikings of 1925-dated sovereigns in the postwar period were not enough to meet the demand, which was met in part by counterfeiters in Europe and the Middle East, who often put full value of gold in the pieces. A counterfeiting prosecution was brought, to which the defence was made that the sovereign was no longer a current coin. The judge directed an acquittal although the sovereign remained legal tender under the Coinage Act 1870. 1913: 806: 269:

South Africa and India—they have again been struck in India for the local market since 2013, in addition to the production in Britain by the Royal Mint. The sovereigns issued in Australia initially carried a unique local design but by 1887, all new sovereigns bore Pistrucci's George and Dragon design. Strikings there were so large that by 1900, about forty per cent of the sovereigns in Britain had been minted in Australia.

1201:, or were paid out for war debts to the United States. They were still used as currency in some foreign countries, especially in the Middle East. Sovereigns continued to be struck at the Australian mints, where different economic circumstances prevailed. After the war, the sovereign did not return to commerce in Britain, with the pieces usually worth more as gold than as currency. In 1925, the Chancellor, 785:'s accession in 1830 upon the death of his brother George IV led to new designs for the sovereign, with the new king's depiction engraved by William Wyon based on a bust by Chantrey. Two slightly different busts were used, with what is usually called the "first bust" used for most 1831 circulating pieces (the first year of production) and some from 1832, with the "second bust" used for the prototype 1190:

his 1965 book on sovereigns, recalled meeting his first payroll after the change to banknotes, with the workers dubious about the banknotes and initially asking to be paid in gold. Allen converted five sovereigns from his own pocket into notes, and the workers made no further objection. Conversion into gold was not forbidden, but the Chancellor,

345:. The new coin was struck in response to a large influx of gold into Europe from West Africa in the 1480s, and Henry at first called it the double ryal, but soon changed the name to sovereign. Too great in value to have any practical use in circulation, the original sovereign likely served as a presentation piece to be given to dignitaries. 352:, when he came to the English throne in 1603, issued a sovereign in the year of his accession, but the following year, soon after he proclaimed himself King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, he issued a proclamation for a new twenty-shilling piece. About ten per cent lighter than the final sovereigns, the new coin was called the 631:, which were exhibited from 1807, and which he probably saw soon after his arrival in London. Pistrucci's sovereign was unusual for a British coin of the 19th century in not having a heraldic design, but this was consistent with Pole's desire to make the sovereign look as different from the guinea as possible. 852:

had been struck and circulated widely, well beyond Britain's shores, a dispersion aided by the British government, who saw the sovereign's use as an auxiliary to their imperialist ambitions. Gold is a soft metal, and the hazards of circulation tended to make sovereigns lightweight over time. In 1838,

694:

When the sovereign entered circulation in late 1817, it was not initially popular, as the public preferred the convenience of the banknotes the sovereign had been intended to replace. Lack of demand meant that mintages dropped from 2,347,230 in 1818 to 3,574 the following year. Another reason why few

578:

Pistrucci's design for the reverse of the sovereign features Saint George on horseback. His left hand clutches the rein of the horse's bridle, and he does not wear armour, other than on his lower legs and feet, with his toes bare. Further protection is provided by the helmet, with, on early issues, a

1161:

were making the sovereign even more important. "The combination of the demand for sovereigns in India and Egypt with London's situation as the distributing centre of the South African gold is rapidly establishing the sovereign as the predominant gold coin of the world. Possibly it may be destined to

892:

million in lightweight gold, about one-third the amount of that metal in circulation. This not only kept the sovereign to standard, it probably removed most of the remaining guineas still in commerce. The unlucky holder of a lightweight gold coin could only turn it in as bullion, would lose at least

276:

in 1914, the sovereign vanished from circulation in Britain; it was replaced by paper money and did not return after the war, though issues at colonial mints continued until 1932. While it faded out of usage in Britain, the sovereign was still used in the Middle East and demand rose in the 1950s, to

1491:

II sovereigns, rare dates in the series include the 1819, and the 1863 piece with the number "827" on the obverse in place of William Wyon's initials. The 827 likely is an ingot number, used for some sort of experiment, though research has not conclusively established this. Few 1879 sovereigns were

1189:

August, the government circulated one-pound and ten-shilling banknotes in place of the sovereign and half sovereign. Restrictions were placed on sending gold abroad, and the melting-down of coin made an offence. Not all were enthusiastic about the change from gold to paper: J.J. Cullimore Allen, in

931:

rather than in bulk. These standards resulted in a high rejection rate for newly coined sovereigns, though less than for the half sovereign, which sometimes exceeded 50 per cent. When the Royal Mint was rebuilt in 1882, a decisive factor in shutting down production for renovation rather than moving

887:

in gold per sovereign). By the early 1840s, the Bank of England estimated that twenty per cent of the gold coins that came into its hands were lightweight. In part to boost the sovereign's reputation in trade, the Bank undertook a programme of recoinage, melting lightweight gold coins and using the

699:

to eliminate gold as a coinage metal, though making it available on demand from the Bank of England. Once this plan was abandoned in 1820, the Bank encouraged the circulation of gold sovereigns, but acceptance among the British public was slow. As difficulties over the exchange of wartime banknotes

619:

that originally surrounded the design was eliminated in 1821, and George is intended to have broken his spear earlier in the encounter with the dragon. Also removed in 1821 was the plume of hair, or streamer, behind George's helmet; it was restored in 1887, modified in 1893 and 1902, and eliminated

723:

IV's coinage, Pistrucci modified the George and Dragon reverse, eliminating the surrounding Garter ribbon and motto, with a reeded border substituted. Pistrucci also modified the figure of the saint, placing a sword in his hand in place of the broken lance seen previously, eliminating the streamer

268:

The British government promoted the use of the sovereign as an aid to international trade, and the Royal Mint took steps to see lightweight gold coins withdrawn from circulation. From the 1850s until 1932, the sovereign was also struck at colonial mints, initially in Australia and later in Canada,

1260:

II sovereigns bearing Gillick's portrait were struck as bullion pieces between 1957 and 1959, and from 1962 to 1968. The counterfeiting problem was minimised by the striking of about 45,000,000 sovereigns by 1968, and efforts by Treasury solicitors which resulted in the sovereign's acceptance as

711:

estimated that of the some £5,000,000 in gold struck in France since the previous year, three-quarters of the gold used had come from the new British coinage, melted down. Many more sovereigns were exported to France in the 1820s as the metal alloyed with the gold included silver, which could be

1504:

Strike-on-the-day pieces are limited edition coins, mostly sovereigns, that were struck by the Royal Mint on the specific day of the occasion celebrated. The coins are issued in a brilliant uncirculated condition or matte finish. Strike-on-the-day sovereigns are often minted with a plain edge,

1071:

on the reverse. These coins were not initially legal tender outside Australia, as there were concerns about the design and about the light colour of the gold used (due to a higher percentage of silver in the alloy) but from 1866 Australian sovereigns were legal tender alongside those struck in

264:

had Pistrucci design the new coin; his depiction was also used for other gold coins. Originally, the coin was unpopular because the public preferred the convenience of banknotes but paper currency of value £1 was soon limited by law. With that competition gone, the sovereign became a popular

1194:, made it clear that such actions would be unpatriotic and would harm the war effort. Few insisted on payment in gold in the face of such appeals, and by mid-1915, the sovereign was rarely seen in London commerce. The coin was depicted on propaganda posters, which urged support for the war. 906:

because of the lightness and often had to pay an equal amount to cover the Bank of England's costs. There was also increased quality control within the Royal Mint; by 1866, every gold and silver coin was weighed individually. The result of these efforts was that the sovereign became, in Sir

646:"Whereas We have thought fit to order that certain Pieces of Gold Money should be coined, which should be called 'Sovereigns or Twenty Shilling Pieces', each of which should be of the Value of Twenty Shillings, and that each Piece should be of the Weight of Five Pennyweights Three Grains 1319:. Striking of bullion sovereigns had been suspended after 1982, and so the Maklouf portrait, struck every year but 1989 until the end of 1997, is seen on the sovereign only in proof condition. In 1989, a commemorative sovereign, the first, was issued for the 500th anniversary of Henry 1370:

was introduced during 2015, and some sovereigns were issued with the new bust. The most recent special designs, in 2016 and 2017, were only for collectors. The 2016 collector's piece, for Elizabeth's 90th birthday, has a one-year-only portrait of her on the obverse designed by

1256:, though the gold pieces were placed only in the major museums. A 1953 sovereign sold at auction in 2014 for £384,000. In 1957, the Treasury decided to defend the status of the sovereign, both by continuing prosecutions and by issuing new pieces with the current date. Elizabeth 376:

or even sixpence more. Popular in commerce, the coin's value was set by the government at 21 shillings in silver in 1717, and was subject to revision downwards, though in practice this did not occur. The term sovereign, referring to a coin, fell from use—it does not appear in

407:, with the pound to be defined as a given quantity of gold. Almost every speaker supported having a coin valued at twenty shillings, rather than continuing to use the guinea. Nevertheless, the Coinage Act did not specify which coins the Mint should strike. A committee of the 1492:

struck at London, and those that remain are often well-worn. Only 24,768 of the Adelaide Pound were struck; surviving specimens are rare and highly prized. The sovereign itself has been the subject of commemoration; in 2005, the Perth Mint issued a gold coin with face value

1099:) and Pretoria (1923–1932; mint mark "SA") also struck sovereigns. Melbourne and Perth stopped striking sovereigns after 1931, with Sydney having closed in 1926. The 1932 sovereigns struck at Pretoria were the last to be issued intended as currency at their face value. 462:(at that time a junior government position) in 1812, with a mandate to reform the Royal Mint. Pole had favoured retaining the guinea, due to the number extant and the amount of labour required to replace them with sovereigns. Formal instruction to the Mint came with an 1394:, on the obverse, and with a depiction of the Royal Arms by Clark, chosen in memory of Elizabeth and her long reign. When they began accepting orders on 15 November, there was such demand that visitors to the Mint's website were placed in virtual queues. For the 1228:

in December 1936, and are considered pattern coins. Extremely rare, one sold in 2020 for £1,000,000, setting what was then a record (since broken) for a British coin. Sovereigns in proof condition dated 1937 were struck for Edward's brother and successor,

1044:

in 1899. The act which regulated currency in New South Wales came into force on 18 July 1855 and stipulated that the gold coins were to be called sovereigns and half sovereigns. They were also to be the same weight, fineness and value as other sovereigns.

840:

that "the reverse die has been made to carry, in addition to its recognised device, a small number, with a view to determine at which coining press, and on what particular day, the numbered die was used, that bad work might be traced to an individual."

1345:

designed the fourth bust of Elizabeth to be used on the sovereign, and this went into use in 1998 and was used until 2015. Bullion sovereigns began to be issued again in 2000, and this has continued. A special reverse design was used in 2002 for the

1265:

placed restrictions on the holding of gold coins to prevent hoarding against inflation, with collectors required to obtain a licence from the Bank of England. This proved ineffective, as it drove gold dealing underground, and was abandoned in 1970.

277:

which the Royal Mint eventually responded by striking new sovereigns in 1957. Since then, it has been struck both as a bullion coin and beginning in 1979 for collectors. Although the sovereign is no longer in circulation, it – along with the

857:

was converted into gold in preparation for transmission to the United States, American authorities requested recently-struck sovereigns, likely to maximise the quantity of gold when the sovereigns were melted after arrival in the United States.

1434:. To expedite matters, the Royal Mint is authorised to sell gold sovereigns directly to the public, rather than having its output channelled through the Bank of England as was once the case. As a legal tender coin, the sovereign is exempt from 1237:

V sovereign was restruck in 1949, 1951 and 1952, lowering the value of the original, of which only a few had hitherto been known. These were struck to meet the need for sovereigns, and to maintain the skills of the Royal Mint in striking them.

599:

later considered it odd that the saint should be unclothed going into such a violent encounter. The saint's horse appears to be half attacking, half shrinking from the dragon, which lies wounded by George's spear and in the throes of death.

4355: 507:, each troy pound of 22K gold was henceforth minted into 46.725 sovereigns, with each coin weighing 7.98805 g (0.256822 ozt; 123.2745 gr) and containing 7.32238 g (0.235420 ozt; 113.0016 gr) fine gold. 1027:

The 1851 discovery of gold in Australia quickly led to calls from the local populace for the establishment of a branch of the Royal Mint in the colonies there. Authorities in Adelaide did not wait for London to act, but set up an

962:, in his novels set in Latin America, refers several times to ship's captains keeping sovereigns as a ready store of value. Although many sovereigns were melted down for recoining on reaching a foreign land (as were those for the 1102:

To address the high demand for gold coins in the Indian market, which does not allow gold coins to be imported, the minting of gold sovereigns in India with mint mark I has resumed since 2013. Indian/Swiss joint venture company

681:

armed sitting on Horseback encountering the Dragon with a Spear, the said Device being placed within the ennobled Garter, bearing the Motto 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', with a newly invented Graining on the Edge of the Piece."

936:

and demonetised effective 28 February 1891. Owing to an ongoing programme to melt and recoin lightweight pieces, estimates of sovereigns in trade weighing less than the legal minimum had fallen to about four per cent by 1900.

399:, and gold was hoarded. Among the measures taken to allow trade to continue was the issue of one-pound banknotes. The public came to like them as more convenient than the odd-value guinea. After the war, Parliament, by the 712:

profitably recovered, with the gold often returned to Britain and struck again into sovereigns. Beginning in 1829, the Mint was able to eliminate the silver, but the drain on sovereigns from before then continued.

545:

In 1816, Pole hired Pistrucci to create models for the new coinage. After completing Lady Spencer's commission, by most accounts, Pistrucci suggested to Pole that an appropriate subject for the sovereign would be

371:

and this became the accepted term. Coins were at the time valued by their precious metal content, and the price of gold relative to silver rose soon after the guinea's issuance. Thus, it came to trade at 21

3490: 2958: 922:

million in sovereigns and half sovereigns coined between 1850 and 1875. The wear problem continued: it was estimated that, on average, a sovereign became lightweight after fifteen years in circulation. The

660:... And We have further thought fit to order that every such Piece of Gold Money, so ordered to be coined as aforesaid, shall have for the Obverse Impression the Head of His Majesty, with the Inscription 3829: 562:; this was adapted for the sovereign. The Royal Mint's engravers were not able to successfully reproduce Pistrucci's imagery in steel, and the sculptor undertook the engraving of the dies himself. 3042: 1150:

million in gold in the Bank of England to thirty million sovereigns in the hands of the public. Fears that widespread forgery of banknotes would shake confidence in the pound ended his proposal.

1398:

in May 2023, the Royal Mint issued sovereigns showing a crowned bust of the king, with the Pistrucci reverse. Both the crowned bust and the uncrowned one first issued in 2022 were designed by

751:

was assigned to translate Chantrey's bust into a coin design, and the new sovereign came into use during 1825. It did not bear the George and Dragon design, as the new Master of the Mint,

4154: 2615:

Bullion and Foreign Exchanges Theoretically and Practically Considered: Followed by a Defence of the Double Valuation, with Special Reference to the Proposed System of Universal Coinage

1327:, evokes the designs of that earlier piece, showing Elizabeth enthroned and facing front, as Henry appeared on the old English sovereign. The reverse of the 1489 piece depicts a double 743:

May 1821. These were struck every year between 1821 and 1825, but the king was unhappy with the depiction of him and requested a new one be prepared, based on a more flattering bust by

4129: 4304: 4204: 2065: 793:

of 1831, some from 1832 and taking over entirely by 1833. The reverse shows another depiction by Merlen of the Ensigns Armorial, with the date accompanied by the Latin word

1362:. Day’s design was used for the first strike-on-the-day sovereign which commemorated the jubilee. In 2009, the reverse was re-engraved using tools from the reign of George 115:

between design and date for Saint George and the Dragon sovereigns, and under the wreath for shield back sovereigns, or below bust on obverse on earlier Australian issues.

3901: 2032:

Changed in 1821 from a minimum weight of 122.75 grains as experience had shown that to be too small a tolerance, and reaffirmed at the 1821 figure in 1838 and in 1843.

4254: 348:

The English sovereign, the country's first coin to be valued at one pound, was struck by the monarchs of the 16th century, the size and fineness often being altered.

4759: 4003: 1383:

with the number 200. For 2022, a reverse design by Noad in honour of Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, depicting his interpretation of the Royal Coat of Arms was used.

4079: 3494: 966:) it was regarded as a circulating coin in dozens of British colonies and even in nations such as Brazil and Portugal; the latter accepted it at a value of 4,500 4028: 431:

August 1816. The twenty-shilling piece was named a sovereign, with the resurrection of the old name possibly promoted by antiquarians with numismatic interests.

1402:. For 2024, Jennings' uncrowned portrait of Charles was paired with Pistrucci's reverse on each of the five sovereign denominations struck in proof, from the 861:

The weight of a newly-struck sovereign was intended to be 123.274 grains (7.98805 g). It ceased to be legal currency for £1 if found to weigh less than 122

4658: 763:, crowned, with the lions of England seen in two of the quarters, balanced by those of Scotland and the harp of Ireland. Set on the shield are the arms of 1445:

chains (seen as a sign of integrity), and others carried them in a small purse linked to the chain. These customs vanished with the popularisation of the

1375:. The 2017 collector's piece returned to Pistrucci's original design of 1817 for the modern sovereign's 200th birthday, with the Garter belt and motto. A 341:

in 1489. It had a diameter of 42 millimetres (1.7 in), and weighed 15.55 grams (0.500 troy ounces), twice the weight of the existing gold coin, the

3034: 3248: 1324: 1315:

condition for collectors, and this issuance of proof coins has continued annually. In 1985, the Machin portrait of Elizabeth was replaced by one by

1111:

mints under licence in its facility close to Delhi with full quality control from the Royal Mint. The coins are legal tender in the United Kingdom.

558:, to be used as model for the sovereign and the smaller silver coins. He had prepared a model in wax of Saint George and the Dragon for use on the 3517: 4229: 4104: 4380: 4279: 3604: 1351: 832:

was used. Records of why the numbers were used are not known to survive, with one widely printed theory that they were used to track die wear.

747:. Pistrucci refused to copy the work of another artist and was barred from further work on the coinage. Second Engraver (later Chief Engraver) 451: 261: 5361: 1216:

came to the throne in 1936, there was no question of issuing sovereigns for circulation, but pieces were prepared as part of the traditional

3220: 903: 4330: 821: 367:

that quickly followed, a new twenty-shilling gold coin was issued. It had no special name at first but the public soon nicknamed it the

2652: 2433: 2069: 1162:

hold in the future the same kind of international position as was held for several centuries, in the days of a silver standard, by the

4802: 918:

and other discoveries of the 1840s and 1850s boosted the amount of available gold and also the number of sovereigns struck, with £150

3978: 1087:, the Canadian Government asked for the establishment of a Royal Mint branch in Canada. It was not until 1908 that what is now the 760: 455: 3567: 4540: 1618: 1441:

As well as being used as a circulating coin, the sovereign has entered fashion: some men in the 19th century placed one on their

265:

circulating coin, and was used in international trade and overseas, being trusted as a coin containing a known quantity of gold.

4054: 1299:, Wales. The last of the Gillick sovereigns had been struck in 1968; when production resumed in 1974, it was with a portrait by 1753: 1473: 615:

The original 1817 design had the saintly knight still carrying part of his broken spear. This was changed to a sword when the

4727: 4708: 4637: 4618: 4506: 4487: 4468: 4446: 3953: 3855: 3682: 2925: 1856: 1048: 3542: 5402: 5004: 3927: 1143: 4755: 1197:

Although sovereigns continued to be struck at London until the end of 1917, they were mostly held as part of the nation's

1059:

Early issues for Sydney, until 1870, depicted a bust of Victoria similar to those struck in Britain, but with a wreath of

719:. Mint officials decided to continue to use the late king's head on coinage for the remainder of the year. For King George 19:

This article is about the British coin minted from 1817 to the present. For the earlier Renaissance-era English coin, see

5331: 5110: 5069: 408: 384: 4356:"The 75th Birthday of His Majesty King Charles III Celebration Sovereign - Struck on 14 November 2023 | The Royal Mint" 2230: 1543: 627:

style. When Pistrucci created the coin, Neoclassicism was all the rage in London, and he may have been inspired by the

4179: 5237: 1379:

was also minted, and the bullion sovereign struck at Llantrisant, though retaining the customary design, was given a

1032:, striking what became known as the "Adelaide Pound". In 1853, an Order in Council approved the establishment of the 908: 752: 515: 700:

were overcome, the sovereign became more popular, and with low-value banknotes becoming scarcer, in 1826 Parliament

5028: 4850: 4825: 3060: 1834: 1662: 1173:

of 1914, many sought to convert Bank of England notes into gold, and the bank's reserves of the metal fell from £27

884: 782: 759:

of the Royal Mint prepare new reverse designs. The new reverse for the sovereign featured the Ensigns Armorial, or

527: 5326: 3830:"The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 Celebration Sovereign Struck on 6 May 2023 | The Royal Mint" 1537: 1483:

Coin auction houses deal in rare sovereigns of earlier date, as do specialist dealers. As well as the 1937 Edward

1355: 420: 3518:"Royal Mint's website runs queuing system as collectors rush for memorial Sovereign with King Charles' portrait" 305: 5217: 5037: 4775: 3780: 1347: 1311:

From 1979, the sovereign was issued as a coin for the bullion market, but was also struck by the Royal Mint in

1270: 378: 2667: 1206: 768: 4795: 4749: 1063:, native to Australia, in her hair. The reverse was distinctive as well, with the name of the mint, the word 735:

IV, based on the bust Pistrucci had prepared for the Coronation medal. The new version was authorised by an

5392: 5293: 5227: 4845: 1023:

The 1852 Adelaide Pound (on average) contains 8.75 grams of gold (0.917 fine) and weighs 0.258 of an ounce.

5387: 5382: 5288: 5232: 5201: 4865: 4811: 1477: 1131: 519: 226: 163: 3491:"United Kingdom: New 2022 gold sovereigns released — the first coins in the Platinum Jubilee Collection" 1331:

fronted by the royal arms; a similar design with updated arms graces the reverse of the 1989 sovereign.

772: 5336: 5222: 5191: 4870: 4497:

Dyer, G.P.; Gaspar, G.P. (1992). "Reform, the New Technology and Tower Hill". In Challis, C.E. (ed.).

4155:"2019 Struck on the Day Birth of Queen Victoria Full Sovereign Gold Matte Coin PCGS MS70 - Plain Edge" 1354:

recalling the 19th-century "shield back" sovereigns. The years 2005 and 2012 (the latter, Elizabeth's

1291:, Bond uses the gold to distract Grant, leading to the villain's undoing. The sovereign survived both 5129: 5078: 4855: 4456: 1395: 1225: 1000: 976: 360: 3608: 927:

tightened standards at the Royal Mint, requiring sovereigns to be individually tested at the annual

5087: 4875: 4860: 4788: 2960:

Pamphlets issued by the New South Wales Commissioners for the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago

1095:

from 1908 to 1919, except 1912 and 1915, each year in small numbers. Branch mints at Bombay (1918;

701: 330: 309: 20: 3954:"2015 Struck On The Day Sovereign : Birth Of Princess Charlotte | The Britannia Coin Company" 2963:(1 ed.). New South Wales. Commission for the World's Columbian Exposition. 1893. p. 137. 888:

gold for new, full-weight ones. Between 1842 and 1845, the Bank withdrew and had recoined some £14

5283: 5196: 5105: 5096: 4980: 3674: 1138:

proposed relying less on gold coinage and moving to high-value silver coins, and the short-lived

1135: 1003:, which began production in 1902; Edward's death in 1910 necessitated a new obverse for his son, 833: 373: 249: 210: 3880: 3698: 5397: 4585: 4305:"2022 Struck on the Day Platinum Jubilee Full Sovereign Gold Matte Coin PCGS MS70 - Plain Edge" 1803: 1587: 1262: 466:

dated February 1817, directing the Royal Mint to strike gold sovereigns. As one troy pound (12

245: 2613: 1959: 1241:

The sovereign remained popular as a trade coin in the Middle East and elsewhere following the

5124: 4950: 4205:"2020 Struck on the Day Withdrawal from the EU Brexit Full Sovereign Gold Matte Coin Box Coa" 2825: 1946: 1786: 1387: 1372: 1096: 1092: 608: 514:

came to London early in 1816. His talent opened the doors of the capital's elite, among them

424: 253: 252:. Many in Parliament believed a one-pound coin should be issued rather than the 21-shilling 2691: 2638: 2419: 1233:, also designed by Paget, the only sovereigns to bear George's effigy. The 1925-dated George 5298: 5143: 1283:

with a briefcase, the handle of which contains 50 sovereigns. When held at gunpoint on the

915: 797:, or "in the year". These were struck every year until the year of the king's death, 1837. 756: 559: 531: 353: 334: 5242: 1390:

in September 2022, the Royal Mint announced the issue of sovereigns showing the new king,

1053: 8: 5063: 4573: 4525: 1570: 1548: 1431: 1359: 1154: 1088: 1052:

Sovereign, 1855, from original gold coin, Sydney Mint, State Library of New South Wales,

511: 389: 286: 238: 230: 173: 4611:

Benedetto Pistrucci: Principal Engraver and Chief Medallist of the Royal Mint, 1783–1855

4055:"2017 Struck On The Day Sovereign : 200th Anniversary | The Britannia Coin Company" 2826:"The Merchants' Handbook of Money, Weights and Measures, with Their British Equivalents" 1422:

Many of the variant designs of the sovereign since 1989 have been intended to appeal to

4597: 1932: 1366:

III in the hope of better capturing Pistrucci's design. A new portrait of the Queen by

1358:) saw interpretations of the George and Dragon design, the first by Noad, the later by 1224:

and the date 1937, these sovereigns were not authorised by royal proclamation prior to

1191: 1084: 933: 764: 616: 523: 459: 257: 4548: 3928:"2014 Struck On The Day Sovereign Prince George Birthday | The Britannia Coin Company" 3856:"2012 Struck On The Day Sovereign : Diamond Jubilee | The Britannia Coin Company" 152: 126: 5263: 4723: 4704: 4633: 4614: 4561: 4502: 4483: 4464: 4442: 4429:

The Royal Mint: its working, conduct, and operations, fully and practically explained

4414: 3678: 2921: 2673: 2644: 2619: 2425: 1892: 1493: 1435: 1427: 1403: 1342: 1202: 1134:

had questioned the wisdom of having much of Britain's stock of gold used in coinage.

1008: 838:

The Royal Mint, Its Workings, Conduct, And Operations Fully And Practically Explained

313: 3645: 5356: 5351: 5346: 5278: 5258: 5186: 4898: 4663: 4589: 3902:"2013 Struck on the Day Prince George Royal Birth Full Sovereign Gold Coin Box Coa" 1414: 1242: 988: 944:

Counterfeit detector. A fake will pass one test (weight or fit) and fail the other.

928: 924: 779:. The George and Dragon design would not again appear on the sovereign until 1871. 744: 736: 595:, the sword that he grasps in his right hand. He is otherwise naked—the art critic 539: 439: 416: 400: 282: 222: 4682: 5341: 4763: 4529: 4427: 3668: 3249:"1937 British gold sovereign realizes $ 2.28M record in Heritage March 2021 sale" 2915: 2226: 1423: 1399: 1316: 1123: 1119: 980: 968: 805: 695:

sovereigns were struck in 1819 was a proposal, eventually rejected, by economist

584: 579:

streamer or plume of hair floating behind. Also flowing behind the knight is his

535: 396: 273: 1019: 5318: 5268: 5162: 5148: 4927: 4921: 4880: 4743: 4667: 4647: 2696: 1735: 1458: 1284: 1276: 1221: 1163: 1108: 1037: 854: 849: 818: 814: 588: 412: 349: 278: 202: 4652: 4004:"2016 Struck on the Day Queens 90th Birthday Full Sovereign Gold Coin Box Coa" 570: 5376: 5181: 5138: 4956: 4565: 4516:

Farey, Roderick (September 2014). "Benedetto Pistrucci (1782–1855), Part 1".

4482:(paperback ed.). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. 4418: 2677: 2648: 2623: 2429: 1312: 1300: 1261:

legal tender by the highest courts of several European nations. In 1966, the

1217: 1139: 959: 790: 786: 696: 628: 624: 484: 404: 368: 198: 4080:"2017 Struck on the Day Platinum Wedding Full Sovereign Gold Coin PCGS MS70" 1468:

The staff carried by the Gentleman or Lady Usher of the Black Rod (known as

1146:, urged issuing banknotes to replace the gold coins, saying he preferred £20 217:

and is sometimes mounted in jewellery. In addition, circulation strikes and

5157: 4545:

Electric Review: A High Tory Online Journal of Politics, Art and Literature

4501:. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. pp. 398–606. 3225: 1918: 1496:

25, reproducing the reverse design of the pre-1871 Sydney Mint sovereigns.

1442: 1253: 1249: 1198: 1158: 1029: 995:. Victoria's death in 1901 led to a new obverse for her son and successor, 992: 984: 954: 871: 748: 547: 290: 214: 138: 4029:"2017 Struck on the Day Sapphire Jubilee Full Sovereign Gold Coin Box Coa" 534:. Pistrucci had already been thinking of such a work, and he produced the 5167: 2609: 1446: 1391: 1334: 1296: 1292: 1213: 1170: 1033: 963: 829: 708: 596: 294: 206: 93: 2672:. Vol. 2 (Third ed.). London: John Hearne. pp. 128, 132. 1142:

or four-shilling piece is a legacy of his views. Churchill's successor,

715:

George III died in January 1820, succeeded by George, Prince Regent, as

4769: 4601: 4255:"75th Anniversary VJ Day 2020 Strike on the Day Sovereign | Royal Mint" 4130:"2018 Struck on the Day Prince George Gold Full Sovereign Coin Box Coa" 3571: 3546: 2941: 2939: 2937: 2007: 1964: 1954: 1380: 1367: 1328: 1280: 1041: 996: 555: 467: 364: 218: 1220:

of coins issued in the coronation year. With a bust of King Edward by

603: 5118: 4230:"75th Anniversary of VE Day Strike on the Day Sovereign | Royal Mint" 3410: 3386: 1469: 1288: 1269:

The sovereign's role in popular culture continued: in the 1957 novel

1230: 825: 716: 538:. The model for the saint was an Italian waiter at Brunet's Hotel in 463: 356:, symbolising that James had merged the Scottish and English crowns. 342: 213:

that was accepted in Britain and elsewhere in the world; it is now a

194: 4593: 3056: 2934: 4780: 4280:"95th Birthday of the Queen Celebration Sovereign | The Royal Mint" 1454: 1376: 1104: 1004: 526:

and commissioned him to reproduce it in the Greek style as part of

4541:"How George III lost France: Or, Why Concessions Never Make Sense" 2341: 2339: 2019:

The British monarch also ruled Hanover between 1714 and 1837. See

1075: 940: 248:, which was last minted about 1603, and originated as part of the 4105:"Sapphire Coronation Strike on the Day Sovereign |The Royal Mint" 3761: 1060: 1011:. Pistrucci's George and Dragon design continued on the reverse. 949: 592: 580: 112: 3221:"'Never meant to exist': Edward VIII coin bought for record £1m" 2979: 2920:(6 ed.). Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. p. 82. 2769: 2375: 1996:

The indenture, dated 6 February 1817, directed that there be 934

1426:, as have the other gold coins based on the sovereign, from the 1303:. The last coin minted at Tower Hill, in 1975, was a sovereign. 2515: 2491: 2336: 2273: 1770: 1450: 987:. That obverse was criticised and was replaced in 1893 by the " 551: 4890: 2261: 2046: 4613:. Hardwick, Cambridgeshire: Michael A. Marsh (Publications). 3458: 1306: 1185:

August. Following the declaration of war against Germany on 4

776: 471: 4720:

Coins of England and the United Kingdom, Decimal Issues 2023

3326: 3035:"Chindambaram rules out lifting ban on import of gold coins" 2781: 2740: 2704: 1472:) as a symbol of office, and used to strike the door of the 958:, Mrs Bumble is paid £25 in sovereigns for her information. 704:

with a value of less than five pounds in England and Wales.

4180:"Prince Albert 2019 Celebration Sovereign | The Royal Mint" 3979:"Elizabeth II 2015 SOTD Sovereign Prince George's Birthday" 3362: 2991: 2967: 2805: 1462: 755:, disliked several of the current coinage designs, and had 677:

and the Date of the Year; and for the Reverse the Image of

4463:(second ed.). Llantrisant, Wales: Royal Mint Museum. 4381:"D-Day Sovereign - Struck on 6 June 2024 | The Royal Mint" 3713: 3446: 3422: 1505:

differentiating them from other, milled-edge sovereigns.

1409: 76:

Milled (some not intended for circulation have plain edge)

4632:(revised ed.). Exeter, Devon: Token Publishing Ltd. 4756:

Benedetto Pistrucci – Historical Royal Mint Artists

4690:

Rodgers, Kerry (June 2017). "Britain's Gold Sovereign".

3691: 3398: 2895: 2871: 2563: 2010:

of standard gold – or 46.725 sovereigns to a troy pound.

3881:"2013 Coronation Day Gold Sovereign – M J Hughes Coins" 3263: 3201: 3003: 2849: 2847: 2551: 2527: 2363: 1248:

Sovereigns were struck in 1953, the coronation year of

565: 137:

The British monarch currently depicted on the coinage (

4776:

Sovereign (Pre-Decimal), Coin Type from United Kingdom

4534:(18th ed.). Melbourne: Sands & McDougall Ltd. 3795: 3470: 3304: 3302: 3119: 3117: 2759: 2757: 2755: 2592: 2590: 2457: 2455: 1678:

200 Anniversary of Saint George and the Dragon Design

1350:, with an adaptation of the royal arms on a shield by 1157:

noted that the large quantities of gold arriving from

4328: 4052: 3951: 3925: 3853: 3737: 3725: 3585: 3129: 2575: 2387: 724:

from his helmet, and refining the look of the cloak.

707:

The early sovereigns were heavily exported; in 1819,

209:

of pure gold. Struck since 1817, it was originally a

3812: 3810: 3314: 3153: 3080: 3078: 2883: 2844: 2479: 2297: 2249: 2171: 2096: 1908: 767:, again crowned, depicting the armorial bearings of 731:

IV's sovereigns featured a "Laureate head" of George

4461:

A History of the Sovereign: Chief Coin of the World

4335: