Gold Sovereigns
Gold sovereigns were once the principle British gold currency. They were first issued in 1489 for Henry VII, generally with a value of one pound sterling or twenty shillings. The name sovereign related to their majestic and impressive size and to the portraiture on the coin. The earliest examples of which showed the king facing, seated on a throne while the reverse shows the Royal coat of arms on a shield surrounded by a Tudor double rose.
Sovereign coins were discontinued after 1604 and were first replaced by unites (so called because of James I uniting England and Scotland), then later by laurels (named after the laurel that the king is portrayed as wearing on his head), and then guineas ( this name came from Guinea in West Africa, where much of the gold used to make the coins originated).
The production of gold sovereign coins recommenced in 1817, with a portrayal of Saint George killing a dragon, engraved by Benedetto Pistrucci as the reverse design. This same design is still in use on British gold sovereigns, many different reverse designs have been minted during the reigns of William IV, Victoria, George IV and Elizabeth II.
Up until Word War I, sovereign coins were minted in large quantities until World War I but then the UK came off the Gold Standard. From then until 1932, gold sovereign coins were only produced at branch mints in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Bombay and Pretoria (with the exception of some in 1925 that were produced in London). The last regular issue was in 1932 in Pretoria. In 1957 production recommenced and gold sovereigns were being produced most years as bullion, right up to 1982. From then to 1999, proof only versions were being produced, but since 2000, bullion sovereign coins have been minted once again.
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 1925 GREAT BRITAIN GOLD COIN SOVEREIGN UNC BEAUTY #228 Latest Price: US $365.00 |
 GREAT BRITAIN_QUEEN VICTORIA_FULL GOLD SOVEREIGN 1878 Latest Price: US $294.99 |
 1915 GREAT BRITAIN GOLD SOVEREIGN UNC GEO V #224 Latest Price: US $367.00 |
 RARE CANADA 1911 C GOLD SOVEREIGN HIGH QUALITY P49 Latest Price: US $330.00 |
 RARE CANADA 1918 C GOLD SOVEREIGN HIGH QUALITY P45 Latest Price: US $330.00 |
 1885-M OLD GOLD QUEEN Victoria ENGLISH SOVEREIGN-A GEM Latest Price: US $338.00 |
 Sovereign Gold 1887 AU Great Britain Coin Coinhut1666 Latest Price: US $560.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN KING CEOLWULF 821-823 Latest Price: US $16.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN KING EDWARD V 1483 Latest Price: US $16.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN KING STEPHEN 1135-1154 Latest Price: US $16.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN MARY I 1553-1558 Latest Price: US $16.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN KING HENRY V 1413-1422 Latest Price: US $16.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN KING HAROLD I 1035-1040 Latest Price: US $16.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN KING EDWARD III1327-1377 Latest Price: US $16.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN RICHARD II 1373-1399 Latest Price: US $16.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN KING CHARLES II 1649-85 Latest Price: US $16.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN EADWEARD III 1042-1066 Latest Price: US $16.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN KING WIGLAF 827-829 Latest Price: US $16.00 |
 ENGLAND FANTASY GOLD SOVEREIGN KING HENRY III 1216-1272 Latest Price: US $16.00 |