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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 1871 QUEEN VICTORIA SHIELD GOLD FULL SOVEREIGN COIN Latest Price: US $341.48 |
 2004 GOLD PROOF HALF SOVEREIGN COIN BOX COA Latest Price: US $160.00 |
 1859 QUEEN VICTORIA SHIELD GOLD FULL SOVEREIGN COIN Latest Price: US $371.84 |
 1903-P GOLD SOVEREIGN AUSTRALIA = SCARCE - AUNC++ = Latest Price: US $319.99 |
 1851 QUEEN VICTORIA SHIELD GOLD FULL SOVEREIGN COIN Latest Price: US $365.77 |
 0#001 1893 British Gold Sovereign Latest Price: US $291.00 |
 1845 AUSTRALIA *22 CT.GOLD* FULL SOVEREIGN SCARCE RARE! Latest Price: US $600.00 |
 1918 I GEORGE V INDIA GOLD FULL SOVEREIGN COIN Latest Price: US $314.15 |
 1978 SOVEREIGN ELIZABETH II BRITISH GOLD COIN BUNC Latest Price: US $273.19 |
 1965 SOVEREIGN ELIZABETH II BRITISH GOLD COIN BUNC Latest Price: US $288.36 |
 SCARCE 1957 SOVEREIGN ELIZ II BRITISH GOLD COIN BUNC Latest Price: US $302.78 |
 1958 SOVEREIGN ELIZABETH II BRITISH GOLD COIN BUNC Latest Price: US $267.57 |
 1981 SOVEREIGN ELIZABETH II BRITISH GOLD COIN BUNC Latest Price: US $265.76 |
 1894 SOVEREIGN VICTORIA BRITISH GOLD COIN GEF Latest Price: US $265.76 |
 1872 SHIELD BACK SOVEREIGN BRITISH GOLD COIN GVF Latest Price: US $258.16 |
 1869 SHIELD BACK SOVEREIGN BRITISH GOLD COIN GVF DIE 38 Latest Price: US $271.67 |
 1872 S YOUNG HEAD SOVEREIGN BRITISH GOLD COIN GVF Latest Price: US $270.15 |
 1863 SHIELD BACK SOVEREIGN BRITISH GOLD COIN VF+ DIE 2 Latest Price: US $270.15 |
 1904 SOVEREIGN EDWARD VII BRITISH GOLD COIN EF Latest Price: US $267.12 |