What a gold sovereign is
The gold sovereign is a British coin with a face value of one pound. It was reintroduced in 1817 as part of the Great Recoinage, replacing the guinea, and it has been struck by the Royal Mint in London and, for periods, at overseas branch mints. Its familiar reverse shows St George and the Dragon, designed by the Italian engraver Benedetto Pistrucci. Sovereigns are still produced today and are legal tender in the United Kingdom, although their gold value is far higher than their face value.
Key specifications
The standard full sovereign is a useful benchmark when you are checking a coin.
- Weight: about 7.98 g
- Diameter: about 22.05 mm
- Fineness: 22 karat, .9167 gold (the rest is mainly copper)
- Edge: reeded
Collectors should check the exact specifications for the coin’s year and mint, because small tolerances apply and some issues differ. Compare those figures with a calibrated scale and calipers. Our guide to how to tell if a coin is real gold covers the process.
How much pure gold is in a sovereign?
Multiplying the total weight by the fineness gives about 7.32 g of pure gold, or roughly 0.235 troy ounces. This is the “actual gold weight” that dealers base melt value on. The half sovereign is roughly half of these figures.
Reading the date and monarch
The obverse carries the monarch’s portrait, and the portrait is the quickest way to place a coin in time.
- George III, George IV and William IV: early issues from 1817 to 1837, some with the older shield-style reverse used in the 1820s to 1830s.
- Victoria: a long series from 1838 to 1901, with the young head, the Jubilee head, and the veiled “old” head portraits.
- Edward VII, George V: 1902 to 1936, with the sovereign struck in London and several overseas mints.
- Elizabeth II: the sovereign was revived for collectors and bullion buyers from 1957 onward, and the series continued with several portrait changes until 2022.
- Charles III: new issues from 2022.
The date usually appears on the reverse of the St George design, below the dragon, though layouts vary by reign. Check the date matches the portrait type, since a mismatch is a red flag.
Mint marks and where it was struck
Sovereigns made in London usually carry no mint mark. Branch mints in the British Empire added small letters, normally placed on the reverse near the date. The main ones are:
- S for Sydney
- M for Melbourne
- P for Perth
- C for Ottawa
- I for Bombay (India)
- SA for Pretoria (South Africa)
Dates and mint marks matter a great deal for value. Some mint and date combinations are scarce, while common-date coins are usually priced close to their gold content. Always check a list of known date and mint combinations before you pay a premium. For general guidance on mint marks, the same logic applies as with other coins: where the coin was struck is shown by a small letter, and a missing letter usually points to the main mint.
The St George and the Dragon design
On a genuine coin the St George design is detailed and crisp, with a clearly defined horse, rider and dragon, and Pistrucci’s initials appear on the design. Features to check:
- Clean, sharp relief with no soft or smeared areas.
- Evenly cut edge reeding.
- Lettering that is crisp and correctly spaced, with the right inscription for the reign.
- A surface that shows natural wear patterns consistent with age, not filing or polishing marks.
Spotting fakes and altered coins
Counterfeit sovereigns have been made for many years, and some period fakes are themselves collected. Common problems include wrong weight, wrong diameter, cast surfaces, a mismatch between the date and the portrait, and added or altered mint marks.
A sensible checking order is:
- Weigh and measure against the specifications above.
- Run a magnet test to rule out magnetic base metals.
- Examine the design under magnification and compare it with a known genuine coin of the same date.
- For high-value coins, have a reputable dealer test it with an electronic tester or XRF.
Sovereign or half sovereign?
The half sovereign carries a similar design at a smaller size, about 3.99 g. Make sure you know which you are looking at before comparing weights.
Collectible or bullion?
Many sovereigns are bought for their gold content, while scarce dates and mints appeal to collectors. Commonly traded coins are often popular for their familiarity and size. If you are weighing coins to collect for investment, remember that this is a matter of personal circumstances, and price premiums can change. For a wider look at the topic, see what gold coins are made of.
FAQ
How can I tell where a sovereign was minted? Look for a small mint mark letter near the date. No mark generally indicates London.
How can I check whether my sovereign is real or fake? Compare weight and size to the specifications, use a magnet, inspect the design and have a dealer test it if the value warrants.
Is a sovereign still legal tender? Yes in the United Kingdom, with a face value of one pound, but it is almost always sold by its gold or collector value.