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Gold Sovereigns
1925 Royal Mint Gold Sovereign
22 Carat Gold
The world was moving at a much quicker pace by the time George V came to the throne. Dramatic changes in the way business was conducted and the way wars were fought brought sudden and often permanent changes - even to something as traditional as gold coinage.
The 1925 sovereign is unique amungst the sovereign series as it is the only date to have been restruck at a later date.
1925 : 3,520,431
1949 : 138,000
1951 : 318,000
1952 : 430,000
The Royal Mint in London stopped minting sovereigns for circulation in 1917, although they where again minted in 1925. They were also minted during the reign of George VI in the years 1949, 1951 and 1952 but all carry the date 1925. This caused "some consternation" at the time with collectors of that time as the 1925 London Sovereign was considered quite scarce.
The Royal Mint announced that it was to give the staff at the Mint experience in striking gold coins, but some claim that the amount struck was too high for this to be the sole purpose. Could be this was an early attempt to blunt the counterfeiting which was rife on the Continent.
There is much variation in the depth to which this portrait is struck. The points to examine when grading this obverse are: There is much variation in the depth to which this portrait is struck.
When collectors examine a sovereign with the St George reverse, there are a certain number of points which are examined closely for strike & wear. From top to bottom, they are:
- The crest of St George’s helmet;
- St George’s chest, together with the strap & pin fastening his cloak;
- The bridle as it crosses the horse’s neck;
- The muscle separation in St George’s upper thigh;
- The horse’s forequarters & rump;
- The “bloodline” in the sword;
- The upper band across St George’s boot;
- The dragon’s torso below it’s neck.
Specifications
Sources
| Composition: | 91.67% Gold 8.33% Copper |
| Gold Content: | 0.2354 oz |
| Edge: | Reeded |
| Weight: | 7.9881 grams |
| Size: | 21.5 mm |
| Reverse: | Benedetto Pistrucci |
| Obverse: | Edgar Bertram Mackennal |
| Chard Gold Sovereigns | Andrew Crellin of Sterling & Currency. |
The Sovereign Daniel Fearon & Brian Reeds 2001 Hilden Publications 17 Windmill Drive Croxley Green, Hertfordshire United Kingdom Token Publishing |
The Gold Sovereign Golden Jubilee Edition Michael A Marsh 2002 25A St Neots Rd Hardwick Cambrigeshire CB3 7QH United Kingdom |