1982 Full Gold Bullion Sovereign

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 1982 Sovereign coin hosts a portrait of the longest reigning monarch of all time, HM The Queen, Elizabeth II. 

Buy a 1982 Gold Sovereign 

• This pre-owned 1982 gold bullion Sovereign is struck in 22 carat gold, weighs 7.98g and contains 7.32g of fine gold. The last gold bullion Sovereign of the 20th century. 
• A mintage of 2.95 million bullion Sovereign coins were produced at The Royal Mint for the year 1982. Just 20,000 Proof Sovereigns were minted for this year. 
• 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 1982

The year 1982 saw; the birth of Prince William and Channel 4, the release of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' album, the launch of satellite TV in the UK, the Falklands War and director Steven Spielsberg introducing the world to his 'ET' movie. In the technology sector; The Commodore 64 computer and the first CD player by Sony were launched. Over in the minting world; £1 coins were still nonexistent, a twenty piece was introduced, and the halfpenny was still in circulation. There were widespread fears that the demise of the halfpenny would cause inflation as retailers rounded up prices to the nearest 1p. 1982 was a remarkable year in history, now immortalised in coinage. 

1982 Gold Bullion Sovereign Coin

The Obverse (front, heads) presents Queen Elizabeth II's second portrait by Arnold Machin. It is the last gold bullion Sovereign to feature this Portrait, 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 1982 gold bullion Sovereign hosts the signature 1817 'St George and the Dragon' design by Benedetto Pistrucci.  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 1982 gold bullion Sovereign coin may be supplied in an acrylic capsule.

The Legend of St George and the Dragon

An ancient legend with a number of fabled stories associated with him, St George's legacy dates back to the 3rd century. The most familiar story recounts St George as a rescuer on horseback sent to slay a dragon 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. 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.