Gold Sovereigns Bullion Coins

Gold sovereigns and half sovereign coins are some of the most widely traded semi-numismatic gold coins in the world. They are also the official coinage of English Royalty and since been first minted to honour Henry VII in 1489 they have been issued for all English Kings and Queens since.

The first design to be used showed a highly structured Tudor rose and a large shield. Five more sovereigns were struck during the rain of Henry VII, each depicts with a different front and back. Sovereigns have since been issued by Henry VIII and Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth I also issued fine sovereigns.

With no denomination value printed on them, British Sovereign Coins and half sovereigns are unique among other coins and currency which had a face value. Instead It's value was tied in with the pound Sterling which inturn was tied into the gold standard of £3 / 17s /10 1/2d for a standard ounce of gold. It contained just one pounds worth of gold which is 20 shillings, with22 carat gold weighing in at 0.2354 troy oz, which is just a fraction under 1/4oz. This was the reason it quickly became the preferred and enthusiastically accepted means of paying for goods by the various merchants around the world.

Half Gold Sovereigns Proof Coins

Production of Sovereigns stopped in 1991 due to the rise in the price of gold. The gold in sovereigns was worth more than the face value of the coins. 1933 was the first year in over a hundred that no sovereigns were produced throughout the whole empire.

Sovereign gold coins are also recognized worldwide and have been used as crisis money for many years. Allied World War II pilots had to carry British Sovereigns in their kit and still did even during the Desert Storm campaign. USA pilots and the British SAS  also carried Sovereign coins as money in case they crash landed  in Iraq. British Sovereign gold coins are portable, and offer an instantly recognisable currency worldwide.

Gold proof sovereigns dies are specially produced to a much higher standard, these coins are usually struck twice with the special dies. The most common understanding of proof is that the flat background of the coins have a highly polished mirror like finish, the raised parts of the design have a matt finish.

Coin collecting is a hobby that can last you a life time. Collecting coins does not really require any special skills to begin or require a great investment. It can be enjoyed by children and seniors alike. The success of your collection is not based on yourself and your own goals. You can determine your own level of comfort in regards to cost and the time invested and even the seriously disabled can still enjoy the rewards that coin collecting brings. Whether you are a child that enjoys digging through your parents change for treasures, or a seasoned coin collector, it can be a wonderful and very fulfilling hobby.

For the more serious collectors or investors, it can also be a great source of significant income. Many people collect Sovereign coins for the investment opportunities they bring.  Most older coins were created using  gold or silver which gives them a collectible value as well as the metal content value. It is easy to see by looking at the historical prices of metals that significant gains can be made here. Take for instance, if the price of gold was set at £200 per ounce and you bought a 1 ounce gold coin just a few years ago,  you can make significant gains if you sold it today at over £600 per ounce.

For the more serious collector with more capital and a good knowledge of which coins to invest in, Gold Sovereign collecting brings opportunities for a very lucrative hobby. Due to a limited mintage of a coin the set value can be quite high, sometimes into thousands of pounds or more for one Sovereign. When coins were produced, sometimes certain irregularities were sent into circulation by mistake before anyone noticed the error. These coins can be highly valuable and sought after because of their unique and rare nature.