The Sovereign turned 200 this year. A short history of Britain's most iconic gold coin.
The modern Sovereign, struck continuously from 1817 with only a handful of interruptions, turned two hundred this year. It is one of the great survivors of British coinage, outlasting the gold standard it was minted under and adapting to every change in monetary policy that followed.
The 1817 design — Pistrucci's St George and the Dragon — remains the most copied composition in numismatic history. Slightly varied for proof issues but otherwise stable, it has appeared on every Sovereign except a handful of commemorative reverses.
“The 1817 design — Pistrucci's St George and the Dragon — remains the most copied composition in numismatic history.”
Today the Sovereign occupies a peculiar dual role: working bullion coin at full-Sovereign weight (7.32g of 22ct gold), and recognised investment vehicle exempt from UK Capital Gains Tax. That combination makes it our most popular request from new clients.
Two hundred years on, the case for the Sovereign as the cornerstone of a small UK precious-metals portfolio is stronger than ever.
