Description
On 28 October 1489, Henry VII gave his Royal Assent to produce a ‘new money of gold’, which resulted in a new gold coin named the sovereign. The next Tudor monarch was Henry VIII, who was known for many things during his reign, including claiming religious independence from Rome and establishing himself as the ‘Supreme Head of the Church of England’. In 1526, the king instructed Cardinal Wolsey, the Lord Chancellor, to reform the values of English coins, a historic decision that marked the beginning of the use of 22 carat gold. Half a millennium later, The Sovereign continues to be struck in 22 carat gold, the enduring standard established during the reign of one of Britain’s most notorious monarchs.
In 1817, the coin was revived and this modern Sovereign featured a reverse design created by Benedetto Pistrucci that has become synonymous with the coin. For 2026, Pistrucci’s iconic design returns to Proof editions of The Sovereign from The Royal Mint. The obverse of each 2026-dated coin in the collection also features the official coinage portrait of His Majesty King Charles III, designed by Martin Jennings.
- Benedetto Pistrucci’s renowned portrayal of St George and the dragon graces the reverse of the coin
- Following the end of the rose gold era of the coin in 2025, the 2026 Sovereign heralds a return to yellow gold and also marks 500 years of the use of 22 carat gold
- Yellow gold is in high demand and is considered more traditional amongst collectors
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.