Half Sovereigns
The gold half sovereign is made of 22 carat gold, and weighs 3.99 grams. A half sovereign weighs exactly half of a full sovereign. The coin has a diameter of 19.30mm, compared to a full sovereign which is 22.05mm. The majority of gold half sovereigns minted feature Benedetto Pistrucci’s famous portrayal of St George slaying the dragon. Examples issued during the reign of King George III, George IV, William IV and the earlier years of Queen Victoria feature a shield design.
Gold half sovereigns are world famous, known for their accuracy and reliability as a gold bullion coin. During the days of the British Empire, gold half sovereigns were minted in all corners of the world, to include London, Pretoria (South Africa), Perth (Australia), Sydney (Australia) and Melbourne (Australia). A small mintmark on each gold sovereign determines where the coin was issued (No mintmark present for London).
Half sovereigns have a face value of 50p (A sovereign has a face value of £1). They are still classed as legal tender, making them Capital Gains Tax free (CGT). Due to this status, half sovereigns are a very popular gold bullion coin.