British Sovereign

About British Sovereign

First issued under Henry VII, the sovereign was the flagship English gold coin. Featured the monarch on the obverse and the Royal Arms or St George slaying the dragon on the reverse. The modern sovereign was reintroduced in 1817 after the Napoleonic Wars. Contains exactly 0.2354 ounces of pure gold. Still minted today by the Royal Mint. The sovereign was the cornerstone of the international gold standard in the 19th century. Over one billion sovereigns have been minted to date.