The coronation of King Charles III as the new King of England is a moment that was generations in waiting. Following his late mother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Charles ends his wait as the longest heir apparent in British history to become the fifth monarch from the House of Windsor. The Royal Mint marks this momentous occasion with new Coronation of King Charles III... Read More
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1+ | $315.66 | $318.95 | $328.81 |
The Great Britain Gold Sovereign is one of the world’s most popular coins. Used widely throughout the British Empire from 1817 until the interwar years between World War I and World War II, the Gold Sovereign may be the best-known variant, but it was not the only option. The 1817 revision of British coinage brought with it new half sovereigns as well. Now, Great Britain ... Read More
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1+ | $333.86 | $337.34 | $347.77 |
As low as $13.28 per coin over spot!
The Royal Mint in London is one of the oldest operation facilities in the world. Minting coins for the United Kingdom for over a thousand years, it is the mint of origin for some of the finest coins still in existence today. For investors and collectors lookin... Read More
Qty | ACH/Check/Wire | Crypto | Card/PayPal |
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1-9 | $547.73 | $553.44 | $570.55 |
10-19 | $545.73 | $551.41 | $568.47 |
20-49 | $543.73 | $549.39 | $566.39 |
50+ | $541.73 | $547.37 | $564.30 |
The coronation of King Charles III took place on May 6, 2023. With the rise of a new monarch to the throne of England, the Royal Mint marks a new era for the United Kingdom and for the Sovereign coins with a beautiful Coronation Sovereign Series. Now, 2023 Proof Great Britain Gold Coronation of King Charles III Half Sovereigns are available to you for purchase online from ... Read More
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1+ | $558.07 | $563.88 | $581.32 |
Few historic gold coins from the 19th century have sustained the level of popularity and visibility of the Great Britain Gold Sovereign. Introduced in 1817 during the reign of King George III, Great Britain Gold Sovereigns remained circulation currency in the United Kingdom until World War II. In the aftermath of the war, the coins returned as an investment-quality gold bullion coin that remains in production to this day. Right now, 2024 Great Br... Read More
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1-9 | $566.73 | $572.63 | $590.34 |
10-24 | $565.73 | $571.62 | $589.30 |
25-49 | $564.73 | $570.61 | $588.26 |
50+ | $563.73 | $569.60 | $587.22 |
The Royal Mint is moving into a new era with its Gold Sovereign Coins. For the first time in the modern history of this series, a new monarch will appear on the obverse of the coin. The Memorial Sovereign range in 2022 honors the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the ascension of King Charles III to the throne. Right now, 2022 Proof British Gold Memorial Sovereign Coins ar... Read More
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1+ | $895.44 | $904.77 | $932.75 |
King Charles III is now the latest in a long line of monarchs dating back to 1817 to feature on the Great Britain Gold Sovereign. From the final monarch in the House of Hanover to the latest monarch in the House of Windsor, the Sovereign now features a special Coronation of King Charles III issue. Today, 2023 Proof Great Britain Gold Coronation of King Charles III Sovereig... Read More
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1+ | $969.44 | $979.54 | $1,009.83 |
The British Gold Sovereign is one of the world’s most well-known coins. A symbol of the monarchy and the United Kingdom as a whole, the sovereign has been in production since 1817. The 2023 edition of Great Britain Gold Sovereigns includes a special series of Coronation Sovereigns marking the ascension of King Charles III to the throne of England. Today, 2023 Proof Great... Read More
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1+ | $1,717.63 | $1,735.52 | $1,789.20 |
The largest gold coin in the British Sovereign Series is the 5 Pound Gold Sovereign. First issued in 1820 as a pattern coin during the reign of King George III, this particular version of the Gold Sovereign has been struck on and off over the centuries. Since 1980, it has been back in production, albeit irregularly. Right now, certified 5 Pound British Gold Sovereigns are ... Read More
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1+ | $2,783.39 | $2,812.38 | $2,899.36 |
The coronation of King Charles III in May 2023 was met with anticipation by Britons. It marked the first coronation of a monarch since 1953 when the mother of Charles III, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne. Among the more exciting bullion coins to mark this event is the Sovereign 5-Coin Set. Now, 2023 Great Britain Gold Coronation of King Charles I... Read More
Qty | ACH/Check/Wire | Crypto | Card/PayPal |
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1+ | $7,948.29 | $8,031.08 | $8,279.47 |
The changeover from 2022 dates to 2023 dates in the Royal Mint’s lineup of bullion coins is one of the most significant in decades. With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022, the nation mourned the loss of a monarch who reigned for 70 years and the Royal Mint prepared to launch new coins and notes with a different monarch for the first time in decades. ... Read More
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One of Europe’s longest-running gold coin programs still available to modern coin investors is the Gold Sovereign from Great Britain. First introduced by the Royal Mint on October 28, 1489, the original concept behind the gold sovereign was to introduce a “new money of gold,” according to the Royal Mint’s extensive history of the sovereign. The gold sovereign was not England’s first gold coin minted and released into circulation, but it did go on to become a significant symbol of the power of the Kingdom of England and modern Great Britain.
Throughout hundreds of years of coining, the Gold Sovereign has changed its obverse design fields to feature the image of the ruling monarch on the throne during the year of issue engraved onto the coins. Reverse designs have changed over time, with most coins featuring either a royal shield or the image of St. George battling the dragon. Learn all about the Gold Sovereigns of Britain below!
Prior to 1489, the Royal Mint of England had issued various other gold coins for circulation within the kingdom. When the first gold sovereigns were issued during the reign of King Henry VII it instantly became the largest and most valuable gold coin ever seen to date. Like modern gold sovereigns, these original coins included the portrait of Henry VII as depicted sitting on his throne in a coronation gown.
The reverse side of the original gold sovereigns included the double rose that symbolized the union of the House of York and House of Lancaster following the Wars of the Roses. Over the centuries, the reverse and obverse design elements would change with new monarchs. In 1603 however, the practice of coining the gold sovereign died out during the reign of King James I who had unified the crowns of Scotland and England.
Modern-era gold sovereigns reemerged in 1817. The move was spurred by the defeat of Napoleon and his French Army at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The nation carried out a review of its coinage and found demand among citizens for gold coins in values of 20 Shillings and 10 Shillings over the previously-used Guineas, Half-Guineas, and Seven Shilling pieces. First issued during the final years of King George III’s reign, these gold sovereigns introduced the practice of the monarch profile portrait on the obverse and the St. George design on the reverse.
Since 1817, gold sovereign coins have been issued to fill varying roles. From the original sovereigns of Henry VII to the new modern gold sovereign of King George III, most gold sovereigns prior to the 20th century were gold coins intended for use in circulation to meet economic needs as a medium of exchange. Those coins had a face value of 20 Shillings, with so-called Half-Sovereigns available with a 10 Shilling face value from time to time. The coins featured .2345 Troy oz of .917 gold content that included .083 copper and other metals to improve its resistance to wear and tear.
However, starting in 1914 the gold sovereign’s purpose was altered. From 1914 until 1978 the gold sovereign was largely issued as a trade coin by the Royal Mint and rarely used in the United Kingdom as a medium of exchange for commerce. Since 1979, the Gold Sovereign has been issued as a bullion coin with proof versions also available, both bearing a nominal face value of 1 Pound Sterling.
In the modern collection of Gold Sovereigns, the obverse has been the steadier of the two faces of the coin in terms of designs. The ruling monarch is always featured on the obverse face of the coin, with notable designs including:
The reverse of most Gold Sovereigns issued since 1817, as alluded to, feature Pistrucci’s design of St. George battling the dragon. Though this image has been modified at various times or paired with other images on the reverse, it is the most consistently used design in the collection of Gold Sovereigns from the Royal Mint.
The most commonly issued British Gold Sovereign is the standard gold coin in this series. It has been available for most of the years since its introduction in 1817. While the Gold Sovereign is the most prevalent coin in the series, there are actually two other options available in the British Gold Sovereign Series. The British Gold Double Sovereign was conceived at the same time in 1817, but the coin never entered circulation. A select few proof or pattern coins were released in 1820 during the reign of King George III. In 1887, Double Sovereigns were released to mark the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Double Sovereigns rarely went into circulation. In the 1980s, Double Sovereigns were introduced for the first time as modern bullion coins for investors. Additionally, a British Gold Half Sovereign was conceived in 1817, but like the Double Sovereign, was rarely issued. It is more commonly available from the 20th century and 21st century as bullion coins not intended for circulation use.
Our collection of Gold Sovereigns covers many of the coins issued dating from the reign of Queen Victoria I to the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. From her great-great-grandmother to the reigning monarch of England, Gold Sovereigns of the modern era are known as a symbol of power, strength, and the refining excellence of the Royal Mint.