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1832 Sovereign Second Bust William IV Gold Coin

1832 Sovereign Second Bust William IV Gold Coin Reverse

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Buy a 1832 Sovereign (2nd Bust)

Second bust King William IV gold 'full' Sovereign, dated 1832. William IV succeeded his elder brother, King George VI, in the summer of 1830. The new King desired that his coin effigy be derived from a portrait bust created by Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey RA. William sat for Chantrey, the leading portrait sculptor of the day. Based on this, the artist created a model which was then engraved for coinage by William Wyon, who had recently been appointed Chief Engraver to the Royal Mint. While the obverse of this coin is a collaboration between two noted artists of this period, the reverse is solely the work of Jean Baptiste Merlen, who designed and engraved the crowned shield motif for George IV. Marsh regards these 22-carat gold coins as scarce, and they remain highly desirable among collectors of the early milled Sovereign series.
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Crowned Shield Reverse

The reverse of these William IV gold Sovereigns displays a crowned and garnished shield of Royal Arms with 'ANNO 1832' below. This is the work of engraver Jean Baptiste Merlen and was used on all Sovereigns during this reign.

Portrait Of William IV

William Wyon's uncrowned right-facing coinage portrait of King William IV features on the obverse of 1832 Sovereigns, along with an inscription that reads 'GULIELMUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:'.

First Versus Second Bust

In 1832, Sovereigns were struck with two slightly different busts, with the second identified by the flat top to the King's ear. On this somewhat more common type, the monarch's nose points to the last 'I' of 'BRITANNIAR'.

1832 Sovereign Mintage

Records indicate that the Royal Mint struck 3,737,065 gold Sovereigns in London in the 1832 calendar year. This figure includes these second bust Sovereigns, alongside Sovereigns with the rarer first effigy.

Collecting Historic Sovereigns

1832 Sovereigns were struck for circulation, and most of these historic coins will show evidence of this, including wear to the high points, contact marks, scratches and occasional edge knocks, commensurate with their grade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sovereign experts rate 1832 Sovereigns 'S' for 'Scarce'. First bust editions are particularly valuable but those featuring the second bust of King William IV remain highly sought-after.

3,737,065 gold 'full' Sovereigns were issued in 1832 by the UK's Royal Mint. These coins featured William Wyon's bust of King William IV on the obverse and a shield of arms on the reverse.