Sovereign (British coin)
United Kingdom | |
Value | £1 |
---|---|
Mass | 7.98805 g |
Diameter | 22.0 mm |
Thickness | 1.52 mm |
Edge | Milled (some not intended for circulation have plain edge) |
Composition | .917 gold, .083 copper or other metals |
Gold | 0.2354 exergue between design and date for Saint George and the Dragon sovereigns, and under the wreath for shield back sovereigns, or below bust on obverse on earlier Australian issues. |
Obverse | |
Design | The British monarch currently depicted on the coinage (Elizabeth II depicted here) |
Reverse | |
Design | Saint George and the Dragon |
Designer | Benedetto Pistrucci |
Design date | 1817 |
The sovereign is a British
The coin was named after the
The British government promoted the use of the sovereign as an aid to international trade, and the Royal Mint took steps to see lightweight gold coins withdrawn from circulation. From the 1850s until 1932, the sovereign was also struck at colonial mints, initially in Australia and later in Canada, South Africa and India—they have again been struck in India for the local market since 2013, in addition to the production in Britain by the Royal Mint. The sovereigns issued in Australia initially carried a unique local design but by 1887, all new sovereigns bore Pistrucci's George and Dragon design. Strikings there were so large that by 1900, about forty per cent of the sovereigns in Britain had been minted in Australia.
With the start of the
Background and authorisation
There had been an English coin known as the sovereign, first authorised by Henry VII in 1489. It had a diameter of 42 millimetres (1.7 in), and weighed 15.55 grams (0.500 troy ounces), twice the weight of the existing gold coin, the ryal. The new coin was struck in response to a large influx of gold into Europe from West Africa in the 1480s, and Henry at first called it the double ryal, but soon changed the name to sovereign.[1] Too great in value to have any practical use in circulation, the original sovereign likely served as a presentation piece to be given to dignitaries.[2]
The English sovereign, the country's first coin to be valued at one pound,[3] was struck by the monarchs of the 16th century, the size and fineness often being altered. James I, when he came to the English throne in 1603, issued a sovereign in the year of his accession,[4] but the following year, soon after he proclaimed himself King of Great Britain, France[a] and Ireland, he issued a proclamation for a new twenty-shilling piece. About ten per cent lighter than the final sovereigns, the new coin was called the unite, symbolising that James had merged the Scottish and English crowns.[5]
In the 1660s, following the
The British economy was disrupted by the
Creation
The Italian sculptor
In 1816, Pole hired Pistrucci to create models for the new coinage.[18] After completing Lady Spencer's commission, by most accounts, Pistrucci suggested to Pole that an appropriate subject for the sovereign would be Saint George.[19][20] He created a head, in jasper, of King George III, to be used as model for the sovereign and the smaller silver coins. He had prepared a model in wax of Saint George and the Dragon for use on the crown; this was adapted for the sovereign. The Royal Mint's engravers were not able to successfully reproduce Pistrucci's imagery in steel, and the sculptor undertook the engraving of the dies himself.[21]
Pistrucci's George and Dragon design
Pistrucci's design for the reverse of the sovereign features Saint George on horseback. His left hand clutches the rein of the horse's bridle, and he does not wear armour, other than on his lower legs and feet, with his toes bare. Further protection is provided by the helmet, with, on early issues, a streamer or plume of hair floating behind. Also flowing behind the knight is his chlamys, or cloak; it is fastened in front by a fibula. George's right shoulder bears a balteus for suspending the gladius, the sword that he grasps in his right hand.[22] He is otherwise naked[23]—the art critic John Ruskin later considered it odd that the saint should be unclothed going into such a violent encounter.[24] The saint's horse appears to be half attacking, half shrinking from the dragon, which lies wounded by George's spear and in the throes of death.[23]
The original 1817 design had the saintly knight still carrying part of his broken spear. This was changed to a sword when the
The George and Dragon design is in the Neoclassical style. When Pistrucci created the coin, Neoclassicism was all the rage in London, and he may have been inspired by the Elgin Marbles, which were exhibited from 1807, and which he probably saw soon after his arrival in London. Pistrucci's sovereign was unusual for a British coin of the 19th century in not having a heraldic design, but this was consistent with Pole's desire to make the sovereign look as different from the guinea as possible.[28]
Circulation years (1817–1914)
Early years (1817–1837)
"Whereas We have thought fit to order that certain Pieces of Gold Money should be coined, which should be called 'Sovereigns or Twenty Shilling Pieces', each of which should be of the Value of Twenty Shillings, and that each Piece should be of the Weight of Five Pennyweights Three Grains 2,740⁄10,000 Troy Weight of Standard Gold ... And We have further thought fit to order that every such Piece of Gold Money, so ordered to be coined as aforesaid, shall have for the Obverse Impression the Head of His Majesty, with the Inscription 'Georgius III. D.G: Britanniar. Rex. F. D.' and the Date of the Year; and for the Reverse the Image of St. George armed sitting on Horseback encountering the Dragon with a Spear, the said Device being placed within the ennobled Garter, bearing the Motto 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', with a newly invented Graining on the Edge of the Piece."
—Proclamation of George, Prince Regent
1 July 1817[29]
When the sovereign entered circulation in late 1817, it was not initially popular, as the public preferred the convenience of the banknotes the sovereign had been intended to replace. Lack of demand meant that mintages dropped from 2,347,230 in 1818 to 3,574 the following year.[30] Another reason why few sovereigns were struck in 1819 was a proposal, eventually rejected, by economist David Ricardo to eliminate gold as a coinage metal, though making it available on demand from the Bank of England. Once this plan was abandoned in 1820, the Bank encouraged the circulation of gold sovereigns, but acceptance among the British public was slow. As difficulties over the exchange of wartime banknotes were overcome, the sovereign became more popular, and with low-value banknotes becoming scarcer, in 1826 Parliament prohibited the issuance of notes with a value of less than five pounds in England and Wales.[31]
The early sovereigns were heavily exported; in 1819, Robert Peel estimated that of the some £5,000,000 in gold struck in France since the previous year, three-quarters of the gold used had come from the new British coinage, melted down.[31] Many more sovereigns were exported to France in the 1820s as the metal alloyed with the gold included silver, which could be profitably recovered, with the gold often returned to Britain and struck again into sovereigns. Beginning in 1829, the Mint was able to eliminate the silver, but the drain on sovereigns from before then continued.[32]
George III died in January 1820, succeeded by George, Prince Regent, as George IV. Mint officials decided to continue to use the late king's head on coinage for the remainder of the year.[33] For King George IV's coinage, Pistrucci modified the George and Dragon reverse, eliminating the surrounding Garter ribbon and motto, with a reeded border substituted. Pistrucci also modified the figure of the saint, placing a sword in his hand in place of the broken lance seen previously, eliminating the streamer from his helmet, and refining the look of the cloak.[34]
The obverse design for George IV's sovereigns featured a "Laureate head" of George IV, based on the bust Pistrucci had prepared for the Coronation medal. The new version was authorised by an
Victorian era
The accession of
By 1850, some £94 million in sovereigns and half sovereigns had been struck and circulated widely, well beyond Britain's shores, a dispersion aided by the British government, who saw the sovereign's use as an auxiliary to their imperialist ambitions. Gold is a soft metal, and the hazards of circulation tended to make sovereigns lightweight over time. In 1838, when the legacy of James Smithson was converted into gold in preparation for transmission to the United States, American authorities requested recently-struck sovereigns, likely to maximise the quantity of gold when the sovereigns were melted after arrival in the United States.[42]
The weight of a newly-struck sovereign was intended to be 123.274 grains (7.98805 g). It ceased to be legal currency for £1 if found to weigh less than 1221⁄2 grains[43][d] (i.e. a deficiency of 11⁄2 pence in gold per sovereign). By the early 1840s, the Bank of England estimated that twenty per cent of the gold coins that came into its hands were lightweight. In part to boost the sovereign's reputation in trade, the Bank undertook a programme of recoinage, melting lightweight gold coins and using the gold for new, full-weight ones.[42] Between 1842 and 1845, the Bank withdrew and had recoined some £14 million in lightweight gold, about one-third the amount of that metal in circulation. This not only kept the sovereign to standard, it probably removed most of the remaining guineas still in commerce.[47] The unlucky holder of a lightweight gold coin could only turn it in as bullion, would lose at least 11⁄2 pence because of the lightness and often had to pay an equal amount to cover the Bank of England's costs.[48] There was also increased quality control within the Royal Mint; by 1866, every gold and silver coin was weighed individually.[49] The result of these efforts was that the sovereign became, in Sir John Clapham's later phrase, the "chief coin of the world".[50]
The
The sovereign was seen in fiction: in
In 1871, the Deputy Master of the Mint,
Branch mint coinage
The 1851 discovery of gold in Australia quickly led to calls from the local populace for the establishment of a branch of the Royal Mint in the colonies there. Authorities in Adelaide did not wait for London to act, but set up an assay office, striking what became known as the "Adelaide Pound". In 1853, an Order in Council approved the establishment of the Sydney Mint; the Melbourne Mint would follow in 1872, and the Perth Mint in 1899.[64] The act which regulated currency in New South Wales came into force on 18 July 1855 and stipulated that the gold coins were to be called sovereigns and half sovereigns. They were also to be the same weight, fineness and value as other sovereigns.[65]
Early issues for Sydney, until 1870, depicted a bust of Victoria similar to those struck in Britain, but with a wreath of banksia, native to Australia, in her hair. The reverse was distinctive as well, with the name of the mint, the word AUSTRALIA and the denomination ONE SOVEREIGN on the reverse.[64] These coins were not initially legal tender outside Australia, as there were concerns about the design and about the light colour of the gold used (due to a higher percentage of silver in the alloy) but from 1866 Australian sovereigns were legal tender alongside those struck in London. Beginning in 1870, the designs were those used in London, though with a mint mark "S" or "M" (or, later, "P") denoting their origin. The mints at Melbourne and Sydney were allowed to continue striking the shield design even though it had been abandoned at the London facility, and did so until 1887 due to local popularity. The large issues of the colonial mints meant that by 1900, about forty per cent of the sovereigns circulating in Britain were from Australia.[64][66] Dies for the Australian coinage were made at London.[67]
Following the Klondike Gold Rush, the Canadian Government asked for the establishment of a Royal Mint branch in Canada. It was not until 1908 that what is now the Royal Canadian Mint, in Ottawa, opened, and it struck sovereigns with the mint mark "C" from 1908 to 1919, except 1912 and 1915, each year in small numbers.[68] Branch mints at Bombay (1918; mint mark "I") and Pretoria (1923–1932; mint mark "SA") also struck sovereigns. Melbourne and Perth stopped striking sovereigns after 1931, with Sydney having closed in 1926.[69] The 1932 sovereigns struck at Pretoria were the last to be issued intended as currency at their face value.[70]
To address the high demand for gold coins in the Indian market, which does not allow gold coins to be imported,[71] the minting of gold sovereigns in India with mint mark I has resumed since 2013. Indian/Swiss joint venture company MMTC-PAMP mints under licence in its facility close to Delhi with full quality control from the Royal Mint.[72] The coins are legal tender in the United Kingdom.[73]
Trade coin (1914–1979)
In the late 19th century, several Chancellors of the Exchequer had questioned the wisdom of having much of Britain's stock of gold used in coinage. Lord Randolph Churchill proposed relying less on gold coinage and moving to high-value silver coins, and the short-lived double florin or four-shilling piece is a legacy of his views. Churchill's successor, George Goschen, urged issuing banknotes to replace the gold coins, saying he preferred £20 million in gold in the Bank of England to thirty million sovereigns in the hands of the public. Fears that widespread forgery of banknotes would shake confidence in the pound ended his proposal.[74]
In March 1914, John Maynard Keynes noted that the large quantities of gold arriving from South Africa were making the sovereign even more important. "The combination of the demand for sovereigns in India and Egypt with London's situation as the distributing centre of the South African gold is rapidly establishing the sovereign as the predominant gold coin of the world. Possibly it may be destined to hold in the future the same kind of international position as was held for several centuries, in the days of a silver standard, by the Mexican dollar."[75]
As Britain moved towards war in the July Crisis of 1914, many sought to convert Bank of England notes into gold, and the bank's reserves of the metal fell from £27 million on 29 July to £11 million on 1 August. Following the declaration of war against Germany on 4 August, the government circulated one-pound and ten-shilling banknotes in place of the sovereign and half sovereign.[76] Restrictions were placed on sending gold abroad, and the melting-down of coin made an offence.[77] Not all were enthusiastic about the change from gold to paper: J.J. Cullimore Allen, in his 1965 book on sovereigns, recalled meeting his first payroll after the change to banknotes, with the workers dubious about the banknotes and initially asking to be paid in gold. Allen converted five sovereigns from his own pocket into notes, and the workers made no further objection.[78] Conversion into gold was not forbidden, but the Chancellor, David Lloyd George, made it clear that such actions would be unpatriotic and would harm the war effort. Few insisted on payment in gold in the face of such appeals, and by mid-1915, the sovereign was rarely seen in London commerce. The coin was depicted on propaganda posters, which urged support for the war.[76]
Although sovereigns continued to be struck at London until the end of 1917, they were mostly held as part of the nation's gold reserves, or were paid out for war debts to the United States.[79] They were still used as currency in some foreign countries, especially in the Middle East.[80] Sovereigns continued to be struck at the Australian mints, where different economic circumstances prevailed. After the war, the sovereign did not return to commerce in Britain, with the pieces usually worth more as gold than as currency. In 1925, the Chancellor, Winston Churchill, secured the passage of the Gold Standard Act 1925, restoring Britain to that standard, but with gold to be kept in reserve rather than as a means of circulation. The effort failed—Churchill regarded it as the worst mistake of his life—but some lightweight sovereigns were melted and restruck dated 1925, and were released only later. Many of the Australian pieces struck in the postwar period were to back currency, while the South African sovereigns were mostly for export and to pay workers at the gold mines.[81][82]
By the time Edward VIII came to the throne in 1936, there was no question of issuing sovereigns for circulation, but pieces were prepared as part of the traditional proof set of coins issued in the coronation year. With a bust of King Edward by Humphrey Paget and the date 1937, these sovereigns were not authorised by royal proclamation prior to Edward VIII's abdication in December 1936, and are considered pattern coins.[83] Extremely rare, one sold in 2020 for £1,000,000, setting what was then a record (since broken) for a British coin.[84][85] Sovereigns in proof condition dated 1937 were struck for Edward's brother and successor, George VI, also designed by Paget, the only sovereigns to bear George's effigy. The 1925-dated George V sovereign was restruck in 1949, 1951 and 1952, lowering the value of the original, of which only a few had hitherto been known.[86] These were struck to meet the need for sovereigns, and to maintain the skills of the Royal Mint in striking them.[87]
The sovereign remained popular as a trade coin in the Middle East and elsewhere following the
Sovereigns were struck in 1953, the coronation year of
The sovereign's role in popular culture continued: in the 1957 novel
Bullion and collectors coin (1979–present)
From 1979, the sovereign was issued as a coin for the bullion market, but was also struck by the Royal Mint in proof condition for collectors, and this issuance of proof coins has continued annually. In 1985, the Machin portrait of Elizabeth was replaced by one by Raphael Maklouf.[96] Striking of bullion sovereigns had been suspended after 1982, and so the Maklouf portrait, struck every year but 1989 until the end of 1997, is seen on the sovereign only in proof condition.[97] In 1989, a commemorative sovereign, the first, was issued for the 500th anniversary of Henry VII's sovereign. The coin, designed by Bernard Sindall, evokes the designs of that earlier piece, showing Elizabeth enthroned and facing front, as Henry appeared on the old English sovereign. The reverse of the 1489 piece depicts a double Tudor rose fronted by the royal arms; a similar design with updated arms graces the reverse of the 1989 sovereign.[98]
Ian Rank-Broadley designed the fourth bust of Elizabeth to be used on the sovereign, and this went into use in 1998 and was used until 2015. Bullion sovereigns began to be issued again in 2000, and this has continued.[99] A special reverse design was used in 2002 for the Golden Jubilee, with an adaptation of the royal arms on a shield by Timothy Noad recalling the 19th-century "shield back" sovereigns.[100] The years 2005 and 2012 (the latter, Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee) saw interpretations of the George and Dragon design, the first by Noad, the later by Paul Day. Day’s design was used for the first strike-on-the-day sovereign which commemorated the jubilee. In 2009, the reverse was re-engraved using tools from the reign of George III in the hope of better capturing Pistrucci's design.[101] A new portrait of the Queen by Jody Clark was introduced during 2015, and some sovereigns were issued with the new bust. The most recent special designs, in 2016 and 2017, were only for collectors. The 2016 collector's piece, for Elizabeth's 90th birthday, has a one-year-only portrait of her on the obverse designed by James Butler. The 2017 collector's piece returned to Pistrucci's original design of 1817 for the modern sovereign's 200th birthday, with the Garter belt and motto. A piedfort was also minted, and the bullion sovereign struck at Llantrisant, though retaining the customary design, was given a privy mark with the number 200.[102][103] For 2022, a reverse design by Noad in honour of Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, depicting his interpretation of the Royal Coat of Arms was used.[104]
Following the
Collecting, other use and tax treatment
Many of the variant designs of the sovereign since 1989 have been intended to appeal to
As well as being used as a circulating coin, the sovereign has entered fashion: some men in the 19th century placed one on their
The staff carried by the Gentleman or Lady Usher of the Black Rod (known as Black Rod) as a symbol of office, and used to strike the door of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom during the State Opening of Parliament, has a sovereign inset into one of its ends.[113]
Coin auction houses deal in rare sovereigns of earlier date, as do specialist dealers.[114] As well as the 1937 Edward VIII and 1953 Elizabeth II sovereigns, rare dates in the series include the 1819,[115] and the 1863 piece with the number "827" on the obverse in place of William Wyon's initials. The 827 likely is an ingot number, used for some sort of experiment, though research has not conclusively established this.[116] Few 1879 sovereigns were struck at London, and those that remain are often well-worn.[58] Only 24,768 of the Adelaide Pound were struck; surviving specimens are rare and highly prized.[117] The sovereign itself has been the subject of commemoration; in 2005, the Perth Mint issued a gold coin with face value A$25, reproducing the reverse design of the pre-1871 Sydney Mint sovereigns.[118]
Strike-on-the-Day
Strike-on-the-day pieces are limited edition coins, mostly sovereigns, that were struck by the Royal Mint on the specific day of the occasion celebrated.[119][120] The coins are issued in a brilliant uncirculated condition or matte finish.[121] Strike-on-the-day sovereigns are often minted with a plain edge, differentiating them from other, milled-edge sovereigns.[121][122]
Number | Date | Event | Design | Designer | Mintage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 June 2012 | Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee | Modern Saint George and the Dragon | Paul Day | 2,012[123] |
2 | 2 June 2013 | Elizabeth II Diamond Coronation | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 2,013[124] |
3 | 22 July 2013 | Birth of Prince George of Wales | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 2,013[125] |
4 | 22 July 2014 | Prince George of Wales 1st Birthday | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 398[126] |
5 | 2 May 2015 | Birth of Princess Charlotte of Wales | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 743[127] |
6 | 22 July 2015 | Prince George of Wales 2nd Birthday | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 400[128] |
7 | 11 June 2016 | Elizabeth II 90th Birthday | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 499[129] |
8 | 6 February 2017 | Elizabeth II Sapphire Jubilee | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 739[130] |
9 | 1 July 2017 | 200th Anniversary of Saint George and the Dragon Design | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 1,817[131] |
10 | 20 November 2017 | Elizabeth II Platinum Wedding Anniversary | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 744[132] |
11 | 2 June 2018 | Elizabeth II Sapphire Coronation | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 650[133] |
12 | 22 July 2018 | Prince George of Wales 5th Birthday | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 750[134] |
13 | 24 May 2019 | Birth of Victoria 200th Anniversary | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 649[135] |
14 | 26 August 2019 | Birth of Prince Albert 200th Anniversary | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 650[136] |
15 | 31 January 2020 | Withdrawal from the European Union | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 1,500[137] |
16 | 8 May 2020 | Victory in Europe 75th Anniversary | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 750[138] |
17 | 15 August 2020 | Victory over Japan 75th Anniversary | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 750[139] |
18 | 12 June 2021 | Elizabeth II 95th Birthday | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 1,195[140] |
19 | 6 February 2022 | Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee | Royal Coat of Arms | Timothy Noad | 1,200[141] |
20 | 6 May 2023 | Charles III Coronation | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 1,250[142] |
21 | 14 November 2023 | Charles III 75th Birthday | Saint George and the Dragon | Benedetto Pistrucci | 750[143] |
See also
- Crown gold
- Gold Britannia coin
- Krugerrand
Notes
- ^ A historic claim only. See Hubbard.
- troy pounds of standard gold – or 46.725 sovereigns to a troy pound.[14]
- ^ The British monarch also ruled Hanover between 1714 and 1837. See Seaby, pp. 134, 153.
- ^ Changed in 1821 from a minimum weight of 122.75 grains as experience had shown that to be too small a tolerance, and reaffirmed at the 1821 figure in 1838[44][45] and in 1843.[46]
References
- ^ Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 61.
- ^ "Tudor sovereign". The Royal Mint Museum. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
- ^ Clancy, p. 15.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 3–4.
- ^ Clancy, p. 41.
- ^ Clancy, p. 45.
- ^ Clancy, p. 47.
- ^ a b Clancy, p. 57.
- ^ Clancy, pp. 52–55.
- ^ Seaby, pp. 116–117.
- ^ Marsh 2017, p. 7.
- ^ Clancy, p. 55.
- ^ Clancy, p. 56.
- Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1866. p. 27.
- ^ ODNB.
- ^ Marsh 1996, p. 15.
- ^ Farey September 2014, p. 52.
- ^ Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 91.
- ^ Clancy, p. 58.
- ^ Rodgers, pp. 43–44.
- ^ Marsh 2017, p. 8.
- ^ a b Allen, p. 13.
- ^ a b Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 92.
- ^ Clancy, p. 63.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 10–16.
- ^ Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 109.
- ^ Marsh 2017, p. 101.
- ^ Clancy, pp. 62–63.
- from the original on 19 February 2018.
- ^ Rodgers, p. 44.
- ^ a b Clancy, pp. 64–67.
- ^ Craig, p. 304.
- ^ Marsh 2017, p. 13.
- ^ Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 98.
- ^ Clancy, pp. 66–67.
- ^ Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 99.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 21–27.
- ^ Clancy, p. 69.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 27–38.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 31, 29.
- ^ Ansell 1870, p. 66.
- ^ a b Clancy, pp. 70–71.
- OCLC 574480898.
- from the original on 19 February 2018.
- OCLC 771752141.
- London Gazette. 10 October 1843. p. 3284.
- ^ Dyer & Gaspar, p. 484.
- ^ Craig, p. 310.
- ^ Craig, p. 322.
- ^ Dyer & Gaspar, p. 511.
- ^ a b c Clancy, pp. 76–77.
- ^ Dyer & Gaspar, pp. 520–521.
- ^ Dyer & Gaspar, p. 525.
- ^ Hayter, p. 433.
- ^ Clancy, pp. 73, 78–79, 85.
- ^ Browne, W. A. (1899). "The Merchants' Handbook of Money, Weights and Measures, with Their British Equivalents".
- ^ Clancy, p. 73.
- ^ a b Marsh 2017, p. 47.
- ^ Clancy, p. 65.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 47, 57.
- ^ Marsh 2017, p. 64.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 69, 77.
- ISBN 978-0-89689-940-7.
- ^ a b c Celtel & Gullbekk, pp. 131–132.
- ^ Pamphlets issued by the New South Wales Commissioners for the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago (1 ed.). New South Wales. Commission for the World's Columbian Exposition. 1893. p. 137.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 28–29, 64.
- ^ Dyer & Gaspar, pp. 530–531.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 69–72, 81.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 78–87.
- ^ Rodgers, p. 46.
- ^ "Chindambaram rules out lifting ban on import of gold coins". The Hindu. 22 October 2013. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014.
- ^ "MMTC PAMP Sovereign web page". MMTC PAMP. 7 September 2014. Archived from the original on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ a b Rodgers, p. 47.
- ^ Clancy, p. 78.
- ^ Keynes, p. 155.
- ^ a b Clancy, pp. 89–91.
- ^ Josset, pp. 143–144.
- ^ Allen, p. 7.
- ^ Marsh 2017, p. 77.
- ^ Josset, p. 141.
- ^ Clancy, pp. 92–93.
- ^ Allen, p. 10.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 88–89.
- ^ "'Never meant to exist': Edward VIII coin bought for record £1m". The Guardian. PA Media. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ^ "1937 British gold sovereign realizes $2.28M record in Heritage March 2021 sale". CoinNews.net. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 90–91.
- ^ Clancy, p. 95.
- ^ Allen, pp. 15–16.
- ^ a b Clancy, pp. 95–97.
- ^ Marsh 2017, p. 97.
- ^ Dyer & Gaspar, p. 598.
- ^ Seaby, p. 173.
- ^ Clancy, pp. 94–95.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 94, 97–98.
- ^ Clancy, p. 99.
- ^ Celtel & Gullbekk, pp. 116–117.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 98–99.
- ^ Celtel & Gullbekk, pp. 118–119.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 100–101.
- ^ Clancy, p. 102.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 104–105.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 95–96, 106.
- ^ Clancy, pp. 102–103.
- ^ Alexander, Michael (15 November 2021). "United Kingdom: New 2022 gold sovereigns released — the first coins in the Platinum Jubilee Collection". Coin Update. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
- ^ Abbott, Lauren (15 November 2022). "Royal Mint's website runs queuing system as collectors rush for memorial Sovereign with King Charles' portrait". Rutland & Stamford Mercury. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ "A sovereign fit for a king". Royal Mint. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
- ^ "The sovereign 2024 five-coin gold proof set". Royal Mint. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- ^ Clancy, pp. 99–103.
- ^ "Gold and capital gains tax". Royal Mint. 15 November 2015. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
- ^ a b Allen, p. 14.
- ^ "Sovereign cases: Sampson Mordan & Co Ltd". Antiques in Oxford. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ISBN 978-0-19-872322-6.
- ^ "Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod". Armchair Travel Complany. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ Marsh 2017, pp. 186–192.
- ^ Marsh 2017, p. 10.
- ^ Marsh 2017, p. 31.
- ^ Allen, pp. 56–57.
- ^ Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 133.
- ^ "Struck on the Day Coins". The London Coin Company Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ Spink, pp. 155, 177.
- ^ a b Spink, p. 177.
- ^ "The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 Celebration Sovereign Struck on 6 May 2023 | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ www.edwardrobertson.co.uk, Edward Robertson-. "2012 Struck On The Day Sovereign : Diamond Jubilee | The Britannia Coin Company". The Britannia Coin Company of Royal Wootton Bassett. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "2013 Coronation Day Gold Sovereign – M J Hughes Coins". Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "2013 Struck on the Day Prince George Royal Birth Full Sovereign Gold Coin Box Coa". The London Coin Company Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ www.edwardrobertson.co.uk, Edward Robertson-. "2014 Struck On The Day Sovereign Prince George Birthday | The Britannia Coin Company". The Britannia Coin Company of Royal Wootton Bassett. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ www.edwardrobertson.co.uk, Edward Robertson-. "2015 Struck On The Day Sovereign : Birth Of Princess Charlotte | The Britannia Coin Company". The Britannia Coin Company of Royal Wootton Bassett. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "Elizabeth II 2015 SOTD Sovereign Prince George's Birthday". Sovereign Rarities Live. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "2016 Struck on the Day Queens 90th Birthday Full Sovereign Gold Coin Box Coa". The London Coin Company Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "2017 Struck on the Day Sapphire Jubilee Full Sovereign Gold Coin Box Coa". The London Coin Company Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ www.edwardrobertson.co.uk, Edward Robertson-. "2017 Struck On The Day Sovereign : 200th Anniversary | The Britannia Coin Company". The Britannia Coin Company of Royal Wootton Bassett. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "2017 Struck on the Day Platinum Wedding Full Sovereign Gold Coin PCGS MS70". The London Coin Company Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "Sapphire Coronation Strike on the Day Sovereign |The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "2018 Struck on the Day Prince George Gold Full Sovereign Coin Box Coa". The London Coin Company Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "2019 Struck on the Day Birth of Queen Victoria Full Sovereign Gold Matte Coin PCGS MS70 - Plain Edge". The London Coin Company Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "Prince Albert 2019 Celebration Sovereign | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "2020 Struck on the Day Withdrawal from the EU Brexit Full Sovereign Gold Matte Coin Box Coa". The London Coin Company Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "75th Anniversary of VE Day Strike on the Day Sovereign | Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "75th Anniversary VJ Day 2020 Strike on the Day Sovereign | Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "95th Birthday of the Queen Celebration Sovereign | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "2022 Struck on the Day Platinum Jubilee Full Sovereign Gold Matte Coin PCGS MS70 - Plain Edge". The London Coin Company Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ www.edwardrobertson.co.uk, Edward Robertson-. "2023 Coronation Struck On The Day BU Sovereign". The Britannia Coin Company of Royal Wootton Bassett. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "The 75th Birthday of His Majesty King Charles III Celebration Sovereign - Struck on 14 November 2023 | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
Bibliography
- Allen, James John Cullimore (1965). Sovereigns of the British Empire. London, United Kingdom: Spink & Son, Ltd. OCLC 493287074.
- Ansell, G. F. (1870). The Royal Mint: its working, conduct, and operations, fully and practically explained. London: Effingham Wilson.
- Celtel, André; Gullbekk, Svein H. (2006). The Sovereign and its Golden Antecedents. Oslo, Norway: Monetarius. ISBN 978-82-996755-6-7.
- ISBN 978-1-869917-00-5.
- Craig, John (2010) [1953]. The Mint (paperback ed.). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-17077-2.
- Dyer, G.P.; Gaspar, G.P. (1992). "Reform, the New Technology and Tower Hill". In Challis, C.E. (ed.). A New History of the Royal Mint. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. pp. 398–606. ISBN 978-0-521-24026-0.
- Farey, Roderick (September 2014). "Benedetto Pistrucci (1782–1855), Part 1". Coin News: 51–53.
- Hayter, Henry Heylyn (1891). Victorian Year-Book for 1890–91(18th ed.). Melbourne: Sands & McDougall Ltd.
- Hubbard, Arnold (14 July 2003). "How George III lost France: Or, Why Concessions Never Make Sense". Electric Review: A High Tory Online Journal of Politics, Art and Literature. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008.
- Josset, Christopher Robert (1962). Money in Britain. London: Frederick Warne and Co Ltd. OCLC 923302099.
- JSTOR 2221837.
- Marsh, Michael A. (1996). Benedetto Pistrucci: Principal Engraver and Chief Medallist of the Royal Mint, 1783–1855. Hardwick, Cambridgeshire: Michael A. Marsh (Publications). ISBN 978-0-9506929-2-0.
- Marsh, Michael A. (2017) [1980]. The Gold Sovereign (revised ed.). Exeter, Devon: Token Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-908828-36-1.
- required.)
- Rodgers, Kerry (June 2017). "Britain's Gold Sovereign". Coin News: 43–47.
- Seaby, Peter (1985). The Story of British Coinage. London: B. A. Seaby Ltd. ISBN 978-0-900652-74-5.
- Spink & Son Ltd (2022). Coins of England and the United Kingdom, Decimal Issues 2023 (9th ed.). London: Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 978-1-912667-93-2.
External links
- The Sovereign – The Royal Mint
- Gold Sovereign History – The Royal Mint
- Benedetto Pistrucci – Historical Royal Mint Artists – The Royal Mint Museum. Archived 25 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
- Gold Sovereigns – CoinParade
- Sovereign (Pre-Decimal), Coin Type from United Kingdom