6. GREAT BRITAIN, QUEEN VICTORIA GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGNS 1838-1901, CIRCULATION ISSUES

Set Description
QUEEN VICTORIA, CURRENCY GOLD HALF SOVEREIGNS 1838-1901.

The Royal Mint struck its first gold sovereign in 1489 during the reign of Henry VII. This coin became known as "sovereign" because the obverse design depicted the King enthroned in regal splendour. It was the first gold coin produced with a value of one pound or twenty shillings, it was the largest coin yet issued in England and also the most beautiful. The half-sovereign was introduced a few years after, during the reign of King Henry VIII (1509-1547), in the year 1544, nearly 300 years before the modern coinage period. The modern sovereign, smaller and featuring on the reverse the classic St. George and the dragon design by Benedetto Pistrucci and the half-sovereign featuring the Royal Arms were introduced in 1817, during the reign of King George III (1760-1820), taking the form in which we know them today.
Gold half-sovereigns continued to be issued by the Royal Mint in London for the reigns of King George IV (1821-1830), King William IV (1831-1837), Queen Victoria (1838-1901), King Edward VII (1902-1910), and King George V (1911-1915).
After 1915 currency half -sovereigns were not issued by the Royal Mint until 1982 when the first bullion half-sovereign issued only for that year.
The year 2000 was of particular interest to half-sovereign enthusiasts, because for the first time since1982 a bullion type half-sovereign was struck and continued to be struck yearly ever since.

QUEEN VICTORIA

The Reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) House of Hanover.
Born: 24 May 1819.
Accession: 20 June 1837.
Married: Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 10 February 1840.
Coronation: Thursday 28 June 1838.
Children: four sons, five daughters.
Died: 22 January 1901, aged 81.

Queen Victoria (1819-1901), began her reign upon the death of her uncle on 20 June 1837. She enjoyed the longest reign of any monarch so far. Many fine types and varieties of gold coinage were produced during Victoria's reign. Regarding the half-sovereign, three main types or designs were recognised during this period: The "Young Head", the "Jubilee Head" and the "Old Head" (Veiled Head).

The first gold currency half-sovereign for this reign was issued in 1838, bearing the " Young Head " design on the obverse and the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom within a garnished shield surmounted by a crown on the reverse. Several types and varieties were issued with this design until 1885.
The Golden Jubilee half-sovereign was struck in 1887, bearing on the obverse the bust of the Queen facing left and wearing a small crown and the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom within a garnished shield and surmounted by a royal crown on the reverse. Four more currency issues of half-sovereigns ( 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893) were struck with the same " Jubilee Head " design.
In 1893 the final design of coinage known as the " Old Head " or " Veiled Head " type was introduced. This type featured on the obverse the bust of the Queen facing left, veiled and draped, and on the reverse the design of St. George mounted with streamer flowing from helmet, slaying the Dragon with sword. Nine issues of gold half-sovereigns were struck by the Royal Mint with this design (1893-1901).

Currency Half-sovereigns were not issued by the Royal Mint during Victoria's reign on the following dates: 1839-1840, 1854, 1868, 1881-1882, 1886, 1888-1889.

To elaborate the general rarity of the gold coinage (Gold sovereigns and gold half-sovereigns), despite the large mintage in each date, there are two good reasons to contribute greatly to this matter.
During the Victorian period a very large quantity of worn coinage was withdrawn and melted. Bearing in mind that the sovereign and half-sovereign were then very much in use as a currency, it is not unreasonable to suggest that this withdrawal of gold coinage would certainly have contributed much to the rarity aspect. In fact It was actually the half-sovereign that had the most circulation in Victorian Britain.
The second reason is that both the sovereign and half-sovereign have been extensively used in the world of jewellery, and both these coins have been a big favourite for both sexes to use in rings, earrings, bracelets and pendants. Indeed many of these coins have been lost from the collectors' tray in this way.
Of the two main gold coins, half-sovereigns played a less important role internationally, serving a more domestic function and consequently being struck in smaller numbers. Wear rates recorded during the nineteenth century for half-sovereigns were always higher since the coin had a greater surface area in relation to its weight and was probably more roughly treated. Non only, therefore, did it survive less well, it was more likely to be lost in handling and was more difficult and costly to produce. Problems of wear were more extensive in relation to half-sovereigns, but sovereigns suffered as well. It was estimated that for sovereigns and half-sovereigns to fall below their minimum legal weights would take no more than 15 years. By the late 1860s 30% of sovereigns were thought to be below the least current weight and for half-sovereigns more than double that level. A further 20 years on and the problem had grown much worse. That is why half-sovereigns are a great deal more difficult to find in uncirculated condition, than finding uncirculated gold sovereigns.

REFERENCES:

THE GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGN, 2nd Edition 2004, by MICHAEL A. MARSH.
A HISTORY OF THE SOVEREIGN, by Kevin Clancy. A Royal Mint Museum publication. 2nd Edition 2017.
THE SOVEREIGN, The world's most famous coin, by Daniel Fearon, 2001.
COINS OF ENGLAND & THE UNITED KINGDOM, 52nd Edition 2017, by SPINK.
THE COIN YEAR BOOK 2012, Edited by John W. Mussell.


This collection contains examples of all the above types described, 34 of them in the highest certified grade, 16 single finest.

Set Goals
The goal is to obtain high grade examples of gold half-sovereigns for every year of Queen Victoria's reign.