Highly sought-after by investors and collectors, gold bullion Sovereigns are possibly the most famous of all gold coins. Often referred to as 'The Chief Coin of the World' owing to the Sovereign's international trading in the 19th and 20th centuries. The contemporary gold Sovereign has been minted in Britain since 1817, and again from 1817-1917, 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. Pistruccin was an Italian engraver who became Chief Medallist at The Royal Mint. This 1980 Sovereign coin hosts a portrait of the longest reigning monarch of all time, HM The Queen, Elizabeth II.
Buy a 1980 Gold Sovereign
- This pre-owned 1980 gold bullion Sovereign is struck in 22 carat gold, weighs 7.98g and contains 7.32g of fine gold.
- A mintage of 5.1 million bullion Sovereign coins were produced at The Royal Mint for the year 1980
- The gold Sovereign is considered to be one of the world's oldest coins still in production and a pinnacle of minting excellence.
The year 1980
The year 1980 was characterised by; the assassination of 'Beatle' John Lennon in New York, the eruption of Mount St. Helens, the election of US President Ronald Reagan, a new 'rap genre' entering the music scene, and millions of 'Dallas' TV series fans wanting to know 'who shot JR?'. The year also saw; the opening of UK theme park Alton Towers, a major fire at Alexandra Palace, the first CND rally at RAF Greenham Common and the highest unemployment since the postwar era at over 2 million. 1980 also marked; a year of strikes for over 90,000 UK steelworkers, Zimbabwe's independence, Robin Cousins winning Britain's only gold in figure skating at the Winter Olympics, and pirate radio station, Radio Caroline, ending its broadcasting after sinking just off the Thames Estuary. 1980 was a remarkable year in history, now immortalised in coinage.
1980 Gold Bullion Sovereign Coin
The Obverse (front, heads) presents Queen Elizabeth II's second portrait by Arnold Machin, of which an updated version has also appeared on British stamps since 1967. The 2nd Portrait by Machin replaced the original Elizabeth II portrayal by Mary Gillick, to help new British decimal currency stand out when it was released in 1968. The Gillick image of Her Majesty in a wreath is replaced by a tiara, a gift from her grandmother, Queen Mary.
The Reverse (back, tails) of the 1980 gold bullion Sovereign hosts the signature 1817 'St George and the Dragon' design by Benedetto Pistrucci. This is the classic design's first appearance in a new millennium. In the 19th century, Italian engraver Pistrucci was instructed to create designs for George III's silver and gold coins by William Wellesley-Pole, The Master of The Mint.
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.
The 1980 gold bullion Sovereign coin may be supplied in an acrylic capsule.
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 on the 23rd April every year.
The Reverse depicts 'St George and his dragon', in the classic design by Benedetto Pistrucci. The Obverse design of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II is the second portrait design, by Arnold Machin.
The 1980 Sovereign coin was created at The Royal Mint. Based at Llantrisant in Wales, The Royal Mint is the official home of British coinage. With its own millennium-long history dating back to the reign of Alfred the Great and producing currency for 60 countries, it is considered one of the world's leading Mints. Its former home for over 500 years was the Tower of London, before the Mint was relocated to Wales following decimalisation in 1971. A gold Sovereign was the last coin struck in London in November 1975.
In 1980, the British sixpence coin was withdrawn from circulation. The Royal Mint also issued a commemorative twenty-five pence piece to mark the 80th birthday of The Queen Mother. Celebrations for the occasion included; a service at St. Pauls Cathedral, an appearance on the Balcony of Buckingham Palace, a performance by the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, and a Downing Street dinner hosted by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
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).
