Buy a Gold Sovereign coin today with this Best Value Package. Solomon Global offers this package containing a random selection of dates and portraits at the lowest price. These coins come from the secondary market and are mixed dates. Each Gold Sovereign contains 7.32 grams of fine gold.

Why Buy Gold Sovereign Coins?

Full and Half Gold Sovereigns are struck in a 22-carat gold-copper alloy, known as “crown gold”. This durable composition makes them ideal for investors looking to divide their gold holdings into smaller units. Selling a few Gold Sovereigns offers greater flexibility compared to liquidating a gold bar.

Gold Sovereigns are the flagship product of the Royal Mint, recognised globally as a symbol of integrity and strength. The Royal Mint ensures the highest minting quality, and the British government guarantees the weight and gold purity of every Gold Sovereign produced.

Sovereigns have been minted in various branches of the Royal Mint across the UK, Australia, and Canada, including London, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, and Ottawa. Other locations, such as Bombay (India) and Pretoria (South Africa), issued sovereigns in lower mintages.

Gold Sovereigns are a globally recognised investment, suitable for investors, collectors, and bullion dealers alike. As British legal tender, they are exempt from Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and are also VAT-free, making them an ideal choice for British investors.

Design of the Gold Sovereign

The obverse of the Gold Sovereign features different portraits of British monarchs, from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II. Each portrait is surrounded by Latin inscriptions, with designs by artists such as Joseph Edgar Boehm (Victoria), William de Saulles (Edward VII), and Jody Clark (Elizabeth II).

The reverse displays the iconic design of St George slaying a dragon, created by Benedetto Pistrucci. The year of issue and mintmark appear beneath the horse at the bottom of the coin.

Brief History of the Gold Sovereign

Gold Sovereigns have been produced by the Royal Mint for over 500 years and are tested for weight and purity at the Trial of the Pyx, an independent verification process that has operated for more than 700 years.

The first Gold Sovereign was struck during the reign of Henry VII, who ordered the Royal Mint to produce “a new money of gold” on 28 October 1489. At the time, the Sovereign was the largest and most valuable gold coin ever issued. Successive monarchs continued to issue new versions, but this practice ceased in 1603 with the accession of James I.

The Gold Sovereign was reintroduced in Britain after the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, as part of a review of the nation’s coinage. A new 20-shilling gold coin, named the Sovereign, was introduced. However, this new coin was only half the weight and diameter of the original Sovereign.

The modern Gold Sovereign was designed by Benedetto Pistrucci, one of the most renowned gem engravers of his time. His St George and the dragon design, introduced in 1817, has remained a defining feature of British gold currency for every subsequent monarch.