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 1966 Sovereign coin hosts a portrait of the longest reigning British monarch of all time, HM The Queen, Elizabeth II.
Buy a 1966 Gold Sovereign
- This pre-owned 1966 gold bullion Sovereign is struck in 22 carat gold, weighs 7.98g and contains 7.32g of fine gold.
- A mintage of 7,050,000 bullion coins were produced at The Royal Mint for the year 1966.
- 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 an Emerald Wedding Anniversary (55 years of marriage) or a special occasion such as a birthday or wedding date.
The year 1966
The year 1966 witnessed; England win the World Cup, Indira Gandhi become Prime Minister of India and Harold Wilson elected British Prime Minister, McLaren form an F1 racing team, pop singer Lulu perform behind Berlin's 'Iron Curtain', The Beatles play their final concert, the Moors murderers sentenced to life imprisonment, Christian Evangelist Rev. Billy Graham (close friend of Queen Elizabeth II) take his 'crusades' to London's Earls Court, the first televised opening of Parliament, the government announce plans for a new decimal currency, the new Action Man toy release, Longleat Safari Park open in the UK, and Barclays Bank introduce Britain's first credit card. 1966 was a significant year in history, now immortalised in coinage.
The 1966 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 1966 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 1966 gold Sovereign was issued. This 1966 bullion coin may be supplied in an acrylic capsule.
The Legend of St George and the Dragon
St George's legacy dates back to the 3rd century, often depicted as a heroic defender of the Christian faith. The most widely shared story recounts St George as a rescuer on horseback sent to slay a dragon in order to save a young maiden or princess. It is widely believed that the dragon in the mythical tale was slain at Uffington's Dragon Hill, a Bronze-age site just 20 miles from our premises in Royal Wootton Bassett. As the Patron Saint of England, St George celebrated in the country on the 23rd April every year since 1222.
The Reverse of this 1966 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.
With over 1,000 years of history dating back to the reign of King Alfred the Great and producing currency for many countries, The Royal Mint is considered one of the world's leading Mints and the official home of British coinage. Its former home for over 500 years was the Tower of London, before the Mint was relocated to Wales following decimalisation. Decimalisation was first announced in 1966 and over the course of seven years, The Royal Mint moved to its new home in Wales in response to the need for a larger minting site. The very last coin struck in London was a gold Sovereign in November 1975.
In 1966, the UK Government restricted the possession of gold coins to prevent hoarding against inflation with collectors requiring a licence from the Bank of England. This move was unsuccessful and scrapped in 1970 following the creation of a black market in gold coins.
Buy and sell coins with confidence when you use The Britannia Coin Company of Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire.
Buy Collectable Coins Online
We offer a wide range of collectable and investment coins in pre-owned and brand-new condition. As our name suggests, we focus on British coins (from hammered metal-detecting finds to modern Royal Mint issues) with a healthy selection of pieces from international mints too. All the coins we sell are 100% guaranteed authentic and, where relevant, are individually certified.
The Britannia Coin Company is part of the Gold-Traders group, founded in 2008. We're members of the British Numismatic Trade Association (BNTA) and pride ourselves on our honesty, integrity and expertise.
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Free And Insured UK Shipping
The price of all our coins includes free, fully insured UK shipping.
We post most orders within one to three working days of receipt. Please check individual product pages for accurate delivery estimates.
We deliver internationally. All payments are to be made in Pounds Sterling. We have a flat rate international shipping charge of just £15. See our dedicated delivery page for exceptions and further information.
Sell Your Coins With Confidence
Our experts want to make selling your coins a stress-free experience. They're ready to provide transparent valuations for your old coins: whether that's an individual piece or a large collection.
The team buys thousands of coins every month via our postal valuation service. It's a safe and easy way to sell coins from home with payment via bank transfer available the same day you confirm our price.
If you'd prefer to visit us in person, we've got secure, private meeting rooms in our offices at 29 High Street, Royal Wootton Bassett, SN4 7AE. We recommend calling ahead to book an appointment or check out one of our specialist drop-in valuation days.
Visit Our Wiltshire Showroom
If you're looking for a bargain then why not visit our showroom? We've got lots of great discount coins available in our cabinets at Old Bank Antiques.
From circulating £2s and 50ps to world coins, commemorative sets and new releases to ancients, we've got something for everyone. Make sure you save time to browse the glass, ceramics, jewellery, clocks and militaria on display in the rest of the shop, located at 143 High Street, Royal Wootton Bassett, SN4 7AB.
You won't find our full range on display in our showroom but if there is something particular you would like to examine then please do get in touch. We're pleased to arrange a private viewing appointment at a time that suits you.
Contact Our Coin Experts Now
Got questions about buying or selling coins? Our friendly team of numismatists (coin experts) are ready to assist with valuations, offers, postage enquiries, and more.
Call our enquiries line on 01793 205 007 (open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
Drop us a line at coins@britanniacoincompany.com.
Message us using our live chat feature (that's the green button, found at the bottom right of this page).
Visit us at 29 High Street, Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, SN4 7AB (we recommend checking our location map before you set out).
