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William Wyon's Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria appears on the obverse of these Sovereigns, showing the Queen facing left, her hair pulled back with two bands. This is the first, smaller variation of the Young Head effigy, used in the first decade of Victoria's reign. The artist's initials are seen on the truncation with the date (1846) below and the words 'VICTORIA DEI GRATIA' above.
The reverse of these 1846 Sovereigns features a quartered shield of royal arms, surmounted by a crown and surrounded by a laurel wreath, a design attributed to Jean Baptiste Merlen. Coins with this reverse are often referred to as 'shield backs' and are sought-after by collectors. The inscription reads 'BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:'.
These coins weigh approximately 7.98 grams and are composed of 22-carat gold. Measuring just over 22 millimetres in diameter from milled edge to milled edge, they are struck to a specification that has now been in use for more than 200 years.
3,802,947 gold 'full' Sovereigns were struck in 1846 at the Royal Mint. While this may seem like a high number, surviving examples, particularly ones in good condition, are scarce and may be difficult to acquire.
Sovereigns from the first decade of Queen Victoria's reign are a fascinating area of study and collecting. With classic designs and a range of variants to collect, these coins remain popular nearly two centuries after they were first struck.
