1965 Full Gold Bullion Sovereign
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Gold bullion Sovereigns are possibly the most famous of all gold coins, highly sought-after by collectors and investors. Often referred to as 'The Chief Coin of the World' owing to the Sovereign's international trading in the 19th and 20th centuries. The modern gold Sovereign has been minted in Britain since 1817 until 1917, and in 1925, 1957–59, 1962–68, 1974, 1976, 1978–82 and 2000 to the present day. Modern gold bullion Sovereign production was paused after 1982 up until the year 2000, although Proof versions were still issued.
The first of the modern Sovereigns hosted a portrait of King George III and the 'St George and the Dragon' design by Benedetto Pistrucci. Pistrucci was an Italian engraver who became Chief Medallist at The Royal Mint. This 1965 Sovereign coin hosts a portrait of the longest reigning British monarch of all time, HM The Queen, Elizabeth II.
Buy a 1965 Gold Sovereign
- This pre-owned 1965 gold bullion Sovereign is struck in 22 carat gold, weighs 7.98g and contains 7.32g of fine gold.
- A mintage of 3,800,000 bullion coins were produced at The Royal Mint for the year 1965.
- The gold Sovereign is considered to be one of the world's oldest coins still in production and a pinnacle of minting excellence.
- The perfect gift to mark a special occasion such as a birthday, anniversary or wedding.
The year 1965
The year 1965 witnessed; the passing of Sir Winston Churchill and his state funeral at St Paul's Cathedral, Lyndon B. Johnson sworn in as the 36th US President, Indonesia withdraw from the United Nations, the assassination of civil rights activist Malcolm X, the opening of Britain's tallest building at the time - Post Office Tower (now The BT Tower), the first global TV broadcast, Sony produce the first VHS recorder, Batman hit TV screens in the US, Spain launch its Club 18-30 resort at Lloret del Mar, The Queen annul double agent Kim Philby's O.B.E, the UK police begin using 'panda' cars, U.F.O. sightings reported across the US, and John Lennon claims The Beatles are 'more popular than Jesus' leading to burning records protests and death threats. 1965 was a significant year in history, now immortalised in coinage.
1965 Gold Bullion Sovereign Coin
The Obverse (front, heads) presents Queen Elizabeth II's first portrait by Mary Gillick. The first Portrait of Elizabeth II was issued on British coinage in 1953, the year of Her Majesty's Coronation. The image hosts a youthful uncrowned Queen, which is still used on Maundy Money today, a royal tradition dating back to the Bible. An alumna of The Royal College of Art, Mary Gillick met husband Ernest Gillick while studying at the institution and the duo worked together for 46 years. Gillick competed against 16 artists for the honour of designing the first Portrait of Elizabeth II. Her design stood out for its absence of a crown and The Queen's 'approachable' depiction.
The Reverse (back, tails) of the 1965 gold bullion Sovereign hosts the signature 1817 'St George and the Dragon' design by Benedetto Pistrucci. In the 19th century, talented Italian engraver Pistrucci was instructed to develop designs for George III's silver and gold coins by William Wellesley-Pole, The Master of The Mint and the Waterloo Medal for the British Government, a commission which took the artist 30 years to create.
The coin includes the inscription, 'DEI GRA REGINA FID DEF', which translates to 'By the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith'. The inscription refers to HM Queen Elizabeth II's position as Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Elizabeth II has held the role since her accession to the throne in 1952.
No Proof version of the 1965 gold Sovereign was issued. This 1965 bullion coin may be supplied in an acrylic capsule.
St George and the Dragon
The ancient legend of 'St George and the dragon' dates back to the reign of William of Malmesbury, during the third century, where inspiration for the story was drawn from a Roman soldier who refused to give up his Christian faith. There are many fabled stories associated with St George, the majority of which honour him as a brave hero with English ideals and a symbol of Christianity. The most well-known tale sees St George as a heroic rescuer on horseback sent to rescue a young maiden or princess sacrificed to a dragon, which he slays to save her life. It is widely believed that the dragon was slain at Uffington's Dragon Hill, a Bronze-age site just 20 miles from our premises. Since 1222, St George has been celebrated on the 23rd April every year in England, the country of which the legend is the patron saint.
The Reverse of this 1965 Sovereign depicts 'St George and his dragon', in the classic design by Benedetto Pistrucci. The Obverse design of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II is the first portrait design, by Mary Gillick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on the current gold price, we will pay a minimum of £444.02 for a 1965 Sovereign. This is on the basis that it's in reasonably good condition and hasn't been mounted in jewellery.
This price fluctuates in-line with the live gold price and you may be reading an old snapshot of this page. Our up-to-date buy rate is shown when you click the 'Sell to Us' button, towards the top of this page.
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