Sovereign - the gold coin of the British Empire
The Sovereign is a gold coin of the United Kingdom and is one of the most popular bullion coins in the world today.
The sovereign was first minted in 1817 under King George III, even though there was already an English gold coin called a sovereign in the 15th century. In addition to England, sovereigns were also minted in India, Canada, South Africa and Australia.
Until the First World War in 1917, and in South Africa until 1932, sovereign coins were normal coins in circulation. And even today, the gold coins are still formally valid means of payment in Great Britain and other former British colonies and Commonwealth countries.
However, the material value today is a multiple of the face value. The Royal Mint has been issuing the Gold Sovereign as a bullion coin since 1957.
Gold Sovereign coins always feature a portrait of the current British monarch on the obverse. After Queen Elizabeth II sat on the British throne from 1957-2022, the portrait of the Queen was carefully adapted several times over the years. The next Souvereign coins will feature King Charles II in the future.
The reverse of most vintages is decorated with an image of St. George fighting the dragon, based on a design by Benedetto Pistrucci. He designed it for the first sovereign of 1812 and his initials B.P. can also be found next to the year.
In the meantime, however, the coat of arms of the United Kingdom could also be found on the reverse, while the reverse could also differ depending on the mint. In recent years, there have also been variations on the reverse of special coins for anniversaries, such as more modern depictions of St. George.
The Gold Sovereign can be described as the "Queen's ducat", as this bullion coin is as widespread as the gold ducat in our country, alongside the Canadian Maple Leaf, not only in Great Britain, but throughout the Commonwealth and the former British colonies.
While a collector's value above the material value can certainly be paid for older vintages - when the gold value of the Sovereign gold coins rose above the price of the pound, many of them were melted down - the current Sovereign issues are traded close to the gold price and are therefore perfect as investment coins.
You can buy Sovereigns from Great Britain directly from home here in the online store. The current price is fixed for you with just one click. If you would like to buy gold sovereigns locally, you are welcome to visit one of our branches in Vienna and let our experts give you detailed advice on sovereigns, gold investments and other precious metals.
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