1817 Gold Sovereign

The 1817 sovereign was the first modern gold sovereign to be issued. The proof is rare.

King George III’s portrait can be seen on the obverse of the coin, Benedetto Pistrucci’s famous portrayal of St George and the dragon is depicted on the reverse.

The sovereign is made of 22 carat gold, and weighs 7.98 grams. It contains 0.2354 ounce of fine gold.

Only 3,235,239 sovereigns were struck in 1817. It is very unlikely that all of these still exist today, as many have been melted down over the last two centuries.

Sovereigns issued from 1817 to 1837 are often described as ‘Early King’ sovereigns. King George III, King George IV and King William IV are all depicted on sovereigns minted during these years.

The value of the 1817 sovereign will be heavily dependent on the date and condition.

Public Domain images, Image Attribution: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com.