skip to main content
Free shipping on all UK orders
Sell today for same day payments
All coins quality checked/authenticated

1839 Gold Full Sovereign Victoria Coin

1839 Gold Full Sovereign Victoria Coin Reverse

* These images show the exact coin you will receive

Buy a 1839 Sovereign

Very rare 1839 gold Sovereign. Records indicate that just 503,695 'full' Sovereigns were minted in 1839, and they are rated R2 by Marsh, making these coins a key date for collectors of the series. 1839 Sovereigns feature the first small Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria by William Wyon, paired with Jean Baptiste Merlen's distinctive shield and wreath reverse design with national flowers below. This motif would become synonymous with early mid-19th-century Sovereigns and was introduced with Victoria's first coinage, following her accession to the throne in 1837. 1839 Sovereigns are a real rarity and remain highly desirable today.
Grade: F/nVF - Fine/near Very Fine
Log in to get notified when this product is back in stock.

What are 1839 Sovereigns worth?

Request a free, expert valuation for your coins today

Sell Coins
Track Product

Shield Back Reverse Design

The reverse of 1839 is attributed to Jean Baptiste Merlen and centres on a shield of royal arms, surmounted by a crown and encircled by a wreath of laurel leaves. The inscription reads 'BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:'.

Small Young Head Portrait

William Wyon's instantly recognisable Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria features on the obverse. This first small version is well balanced with the simple Latin inscription, which reads 'VICTORIA DEI GRATIA'.

Historic UK Gold Coin

Early Victorian Sovereigns are struck to the specification established for these coins in 1817, which is still used today. Made from 22-carat gold, these coins weigh just under eight grams and measure 22 millimetres in diameter.

1839: Low Mintage Year

1839 is a notably low mintage year for the Sovereign, with just 503,695 of these gold coins struck by the Royal Mint in London. Marsh rates these coins 'R2' or 'Very Rare', indicating how difficult it can be to find surviving examples.

Collecting Early Sovereigns

Sovereigns minted in the early years of Queen Victoria's reign are highly sought after by collectors looking to complete date runs of these historic coins. The 1839 Sovereign is a key date in any such collection.