British sovereign
United Kingdom · gold · 1817-today
Overview
The sovereign is the British gold coin par excellence, struck since 1817 and still issued today by the Royal Mint. Its reverse has carried almost without interruption Benedetto Pistrucci's Saint George slaying the dragon, one of the most enduring designs in coinage; the obverse the effigy of the reigning sovereign, from George III to the present monarchs. The 916.67 ‰ alloy (22 carat) gives a coin of 7.98805 g containing 7.322 g of fine gold, with a diameter of 22.05 mm and a thickness of 1.52 mm, values unchanged since the beginning. The sovereign was struck in London and in the mints of the Empire, at Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Ottawa, Bombay and Pretoria, a small mint letter indicating the origin. A reference coin worldwide, it is also one of the most counterfeited: weight and diameter are the first checks. At Gold & Silver Company in Dottignies, every sovereign is weighed and appraised in front of the person; the assay in the agency is what counts.
Characteristics
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Metal | gold |
| Gross weight | 7.9881 g |
| Fineness | 916.67 ‰ |
| Fine metal | 7.322 g |
| Diameter | 22.05 mm |
| Thickness | 1.52 mm |
| Years of issue | 1817-today |
How to check it
Indicative check: weigh the coin to the centigram and measure its diameter with callipers; a deviation of more than 0.1 g or 0.2 mm from the reference values warrants an examination in the agency. The assay in the agency is what counts.
At Gold & Silver Company
Every coin is weighed and appraised in front of the person, at the agency in Dottignies (Mouscron); the price is set at the rate of the moment of the transaction and is never published in advance.
Welcome policy: for gold, Gold & Silver Company receives by appointment from one kilogram; below that, no appointment is needed during opening hours; for silver, no appointment is needed whatever the quantity.
Related terms
Further reading
Sources
Characteristics checked against the reference numismatic catalogues and the issuers' official specifications (September 2026). The appraisal in the agency is what counts.