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Last Updated on 04/10/2025

Great Britain (UK)
Gold Sovereigns

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The size of a Full Gold Sovereign

The Full Gold Sovereign bullion coin was first minted in 1489 and contains .2354 troy oz. of gold, making it roughly the same size as a U.S. nickel.

Today, the British Gold Sovereign is available in five sizes: the Five (Quintuple) Sovereign (1820), the Double Sovereign (1820), the Full Sovereign (1489), the Half Sovereign (1817), and the Quarter Sovereign (2009).

(photo (below) provide courtesy of The Royal Mint)

British Gold Sovereigns are the oldest gold coins still in production and one of the most popular gold coins in the world.

One little-known fact that some UK residents are unaware of is that bullion coins from The Royal Mint are Tax-exempt from Capital Gains due to the coins' status as legal British currency, giving UK residents who purchase these coins added profit when they decide to sell.

The History of the Gold Sovereign

On October 28, 1489, King Henry VII ordered the officers of the Royal Mint to create "A new money of gold," the result of his order was the first gold Sovereign.

The name "English Gold Sovereigns" originated from the monarchy's depiction on the coin's obverse side.

The earliest gold sovereigns were minted of 23-karat gold; nevertheless, in 1526, the fineness of the currency was decreased to 22-karat gold, which became known as Crown Gold.

Crown Gold is a gold and copper alloy that is considerably less prone to wear than the softer 23-karat gold of earlier gold sovereigns.

The Royal Mint struck Gold Sovereigns from 1489 until 1603, when James I, crowned King of England and Scotland, chose not to have his likeness on the obverse side of the Sovereign. 

Over the next two hundred years, the Gold Sovereign was gradually replaced by other gold coins of the British Empire.

1817 Gold Sovereign
(King George III - obverse /
St George and the dragon -reverse)

After the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, the British government reintroduced the Gold Sovereign with The Great Recoinage Law of 1816; minting of the Gold Sovereign restarted in 1817 and continues to this day.  (photo provided courtesy of the Royal Mint)

The 1816 Great Recoinage Law set the Sovereign's gold content at 7.32 grams (113 grains / 0.2354 troy oz) with a total weight of 7.99 grams.

Since 1817, the Gold Sovereign has been minted in these British Commonwealths: Australia (1855-1931), India (1918), Canada (1908-1919), and South Africa (1923-1932).

At the height of the British Empire, the Gold Sovereign was the most widely circulated currency.

Below, you will find the mintage figures of the Full, Half and Quarter gold sovereigns, dating back to 1957.

Design of the
Gold Sovereign

The 2024 Gold Sovereign is made from rose gold.

Obverse

2022 Gold Sovereign

The British Royal Family has had the custom of changing the way a monarch faces on coins since the 17th century. From 1952 through 2022, Queen Elizabeth II faced the right, and now the King of England, Charles III, faces the left.

Martin Jennings, the designer of King Charles III's portrait, stated the following about the effigy: "It is a privilege to sculpt the first official effigy of His Majesty and to receive his personal approval for the design."

The obverse side of all the United Kingdom's 2024 coins features the effigy of King Charles III.

Inscriptions:

• CHARLES III
• · DEI ∙ GRA ∙ REX  (stands for "Dei Gratia Rex," a Latin title meaning "By the Grace of God, King") 
  
• · FID ∙ DEF · (stands for "Fidei Defensor," a Latin title that translates into "Defender of the Faith") The Latin phrases have been used on British coinage since the 16th century.

• MJ -  Martin Jenning's initials under the King's neck. (click image to enlarge)

Read more about the Royal Mint's unveiling of the King Charles III's effigy here.

The Government of the United Kingdom has guaranteed the bullion coins as legal tender and is Tax-Exempt from Capital Gains for the residents of the United Kingdom.

Coin Photos provided courtesy of the Royal Mint

Reverse

The reverse side of the British Sovereign coin depicts St. George slaying the dragon, designed by Benedetto Pistrucci.

Benedetto Pistrucci's Original 1817 Sketch for the Sovereign

Pistrucci's design features Saint George on horseback.  His left hand clutches the rein of his horse's bridle; he is not wearing armor other than on his lower leg and the helmet on his head.

Flowing behind St. George is his cloak; his right shoulder bears a balteus for suspending the sword that he clutches in his right hand.

He is otherwise naked, while the saint's horse is over the dragon. The dragon lies wounded by St. George's sword and is dying.

Inscriptions:

•  B.P.  (Benedetto Pistrucci's initials)
  
• Year of Issue
  

The coin's edge is reeded.

Coin Photos provided courtesy of the Royal Mint

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Five (Quintuple) Gold Sovereign
Coin Information

First Introduced:........................1820

IRA Approved:............................No

Grade:........................................Uncirculated

Face Value:................................Five Pound Sterling

Gold Content:.............................1.17 troy oz.

Total Weight:..............................39.94 grams

Purity:........................................91.667% / 916.67 per mille

Karat:........................................22 karat

Diameter:...................................28.40mm

Thickness:..................................2.00mm

Designers Obverse:.....................Ian Rank Broadley FRBS (1998-2014)

Designers Obverse:.....................Jody Clark (2015 - 2022)

Designers Obverse:.....................Martin Jennings (2022 - Present)

Designers Reverse:.....................Benedetto Pistrucci (reverse 1817 to present)

Mint Mark:..................................No

Edge:.........................................Reeded

Double Gold Sovereign
Coin Information

First Introduced:........................1820

IRA Approved:............................No

Grade:........................................Uncirculated

Face Value:................................Two Pound Sterling

Gold Content:.............................0.47 troy oz.

Total Weight:..............................15.976 grams

Purity:........................................91.667% / 916.67 per mille

Karat:........................................22 karat

Diameter:...................................28.40mm

Thickness:..................................2.00mm

Designers Obverse:.....................Ian Rank Broadley FRBS (1998-2014)

Designers Obverse:.....................Jody Clark (2015 - 2022)

Designers Obverse:.....................Martin Jennings (2022 - Present)

Designers Reverse:.....................Benedetto Pistrucci (reverse 1817 to present)

Mint Mark:..................................No

Edge:.........................................Reeded

Full Gold Sovereign
Coin Information

First Introduced:.........................1489

Date Issued in Current Format:....1817

IRA Approved:.............................No

Grade:........................................Uncirculated

Face Value:................................One Pound Sterling

Gold Content:.............................7.32 grams / 0.235 troy oz.

Total Weight:..............................7.987 grams

Purity:........................................91.667% / 916.67 per mille

Karat:.........................................22 karat

Diameter:...................................22.05mm

Thickness:..................................1.52mm

Designers Obverse:.....................Ian Rank Broadley FRBS (1998-2014)

Designers Obverse:.....................Jody Clark (2015 - 2022)

Designers Obverse:.....................Martin Jennings (2022 - Present)

Designers Reverse:.....................Benedetto Pistrucci (reverse 1817 to present)

Mint Mark:..................................No

Edge:.........................................Reeded

Half Gold Sovereign
Coin Information

Introduction:..............................1544

IRA Approved:.............................No

Grade:........................................Uncirculated

Face Value:................................£0.50

Metal Content:............................0.1177 Troy oz.

Total Weight:..............................3.99 grams

Purity:........................................91.667% / 916.67 per mille

Diameter:...................................19.30mm

Thickness:..................................0.99mm

Designers Obverse:.....................Ian Rank Broadley FRBS (1998-2014)

Designers Obverse:.....................Jody Clark (2015 - 2022)

Designers Obverse:.....................Martin Jennings (2022 - Present)

Designers Reverse:.....................Benedetto Pistrucci (reverse 1817 to present)

Mint Mark:..................................No

Edge:.........................................Reeded

Quarter Gold Sovereign
Coin Information

Introduction:.............................2009

IRA Approved:...........................No

Grade:......................................Uncirculated

Face Value:...............................£0.25

Total Weight:............................1.99 grams

Metal Content:..........................0.059 Troy oz.

Purity:......................................91.667% / 916.67 per mille

Karat:......................................22 karat

Diameter:................................13.50mm

Designers Obverse:..................Ian Rank Broadley FRBS (2009-2014)

Designers Obverse:..................Jody Clark (2015 - 2022)

Designers Obverse:..................Martin Jennings (2022 - Present)

Designers Reverse:..................Benedetto Pistrucci (reverse 1817 to present)

Mint Mark:...............................No

Edge:......................................Reeded

Buy
Gold Sovereigns

from the Reputable Bullion Dealers below.

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The Links below will take you directly to the page described.

Note: The 2025 Sovereigns, available to purchase later this year, will be the last opportunity for collectors and investors to own a Sovereign made from rose gold. From 2026, all Sovereigns struck by The Royal Mint will be crafted from yellow gold, returning to its 500-year-old roots.

British Gold Coin page

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British Gold Sovereigns page

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BBB - Customer Reviews

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British Gold Sovereigns page

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British Gold Coin page

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Sovereign Coin page

The Royal Mint (U.K.) Delivery Rates

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Sovereign Coin page

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Gold Sovereign Bullion Coin
Mintage Figures

Year.......Sovereign........Half Sovereign.......Quarter-Sovereign

1957.......2,072,000

1958.......8,700,140

1959.......1,358,228

1960.......unknown

1961.......unknown

1962.......3,000,000

1963.......7,400,000

1964.......3,000,000

1965.......3,800,000

1966.......7,050,000

1967.......5,000,000

1968.......4,203,000

1969.......Not Minted

1970.......Not Minted

1971.......Not Minted

1972....... Not Minted

1973....... Not Minted

1974.......5,002,566

1975.......1  (One Sovereign coin was struck in 1975 as the final coin from Tower Hill in London before the facility closed.)

1976.......4,045,056

1976.......Not Minted

1978.......6,555,000

1979.......9,100,000

1980.......5,100,000

1981.......5,000,000

1982.......2,950,000............2,500,000

From 1983 and 1999, all Sovereign coins were minted in proof form, no bullion coins were minted.

2000.......129,069...............146,822

2001.......49,462.................94,763

2002.......75,264.................61,347

2003.......43,230.................47,818

2004.......30,688.................34,924

2005.......45,542.................30,299

2006.......33,012.................75,000

2007.......27,628.................75,000

2008.......58,894.................75,000

2009.......60,292................50,000..................50,000

2010.......243,158..............16,485..................8,985 

2011.......253,773..............50,000..................50,000

2012.......432,925..............250,000................250,000

2013.......261,581.............250,000.................10,000

2014.......261,216...............9,900.................. NA

2015.......113,177..............5,000................... NA

2016.......NA.....................NA....................... NA

2017.......NA.....................NA....................... NA

2018.......NA.....................NA....................... NA

2019.......NA.....................NA....................... NA

2020.......NA.....................NA....................... NA

2021.......NA.....................NA....................... NA

2022.......NA.....................NA....................... NA

2023.......NA.....................NA....................... NA

• NA - Not Available

• For earlier Full & Half Gold Sovereign mintage figures visit: SVCollector.com & BullionbyPost.com

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Gold Sovereign - Sources: 

The Royal Mint

The Chard "Sovereigns" page 

Wikipedia.org - Sovereigns page

Coins of Europe Catalog 1901-2013/2015

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