GREAT BRITAIN, QUEEN ELIZABETH II GOLD SOVEREIGNS 1957-2009, CIRCULATION ISSUES

Set Description
GT. BRITAIN, QUEEN ELIZABETH II GOLD SOVEREIGNS 1957-Date, Circulation Issues.

The Royal Mint struck its first gold sovereign in 1489 during the reign of Henry VII. This coin became known as a "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 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 (1911-1936).
After 1925 currency gold sovereigns were not issued by the Royal Mint until 1957 when the first currency sovereign was struck during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II (1952-).

Queen Elizabeth II was born on 21 April 1926 and succeeded her father George VI after his death in 1952. To date we have seen five different busts of the Queen and all have been the work of excellent sculptors. The reverse for these five different issues all display Benedetto Pistrucci's St.George slaying the dragon. The first bust was introduced in 1953 and it was in fact a proof sovereign. The second bust (Laurate) issued in 1957 as a currency coin and continued to be issued until 1968. The third bust (Young Head) was issued again as a currency sovereign from 1974 to 1982. With the same third bust a series of proof sovereigns was issued from 1979 to 1984. In 1985 the fourth bust was introduced only as a proof issue and continued to be struck yearly until 1997. In 1998 the fifth bust (Wearing a tiara) was introduced again as a proof issue and continued to be issued yearly until today. With the same fifth bust in 2000, a bullion sovereign was issued and continued to be struck yearly until today.
In general Queen Elizabeth II sovereigns can be easily found in average grade, although some difficulty exists finding really choice examples.

REFERENCES:

COINS OF ENGLAND & THE UNITED KINGDOM, 45th Edition 2010, by SPINK.
THE GOLD SOVEREIGN, Golden Jubilee Edition 2002, by MICHAEL A. MARSH.

This present set contains examples of the currency-edition gold sovereigns of Queen Elizabeth II, minted by the Royal Mint 1957-2010.

Set Goals
HOBBY