Gold Sovereigns are maybe the most famous of all gold coins and much sought after by both coin collectors and Bullion investors. Sovereigns have a long history dating back to 1603 but the modern 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 date. Modern gold bullion Sovereign production was paused after 1982 up until the year 2000, although Proof versions were still issued. The Sovereign disappeared from circulation during the First World War and did not return after the war, although colonial Mints continued to produce the Sovereign until 1932.
The gold Sovereign is associated with national pride, prestige and exceptional minting quality. The 2011 gold bullion Sovereign coin hosts a portrait of Elizabeth II. HM Queen Elizabeth II is the current and longest reigning British monarch ever. Born on 21 April 1926 to King George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, she became Queen in 1952 and her Coronation was on 2 June 1953.
The first of the modern Sovereign coins carried the head of King George III and the 'St George and the Dragon' design by Benedetto Pistrucci, an Italian engraver who became Chief Medallist at The Royal Mint.
Buy a 2011 Gold Sovereign
- This pre-owned 2011 gold bullion Sovereign is struck in 22 carat gold, weighs 7.98g and contains 7.32g of fine gold.
- A mintage of 253,773 bullion Sovereign coins were produced at The Royal Mint for the year 2011 (inclusive of collectors' sets).
- Ideal to mark a 10th wedding anniversary.
- 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 2011
The year 2011 witnessed upheaval including; the Egyptian revolution, earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan, a rare terrorist attack in Norway, the resignation of Cuba's Fidel Castro, the killings of 9/11 terrorist Osama Bin Laden and Libya's Colonel Gaddifi, the 168-year-old News of the World newspaper ceasing printing after a phone-hacking scandal, and riots in England following a police shooting. It was also a significant year in other ways with; Charlie Sheen's firing and subsequent bizarre TV interviews, the launch of hit series Game Of Thrones, Pope John Paul II beatified, the end of the Iraq war, singer Adele nominated six times at the Grammy awards, and the Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. 2011 was a poignant year in history, now immortalised in coinage.
2011 Gold Bullion Sovereign Coin
The Obverse (front, heads) presents Queen Elizabeth II's fourth portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley. Her Majesty is posed in the Royal Diamond crown, which she wore for her coronation, and this design has been used on gold Sovereigns since 1998. The idea of replacing the Maklouf portrait occurred during a competition to design the Obverse of the 1997 Golden Wedding crown.
The Reverse (back, tails) of the 2011 gold bullion Sovereign coin is that of the classical portrayal of 'St George slaying the Dragon', designed by Benedetto Pistrucci. St George, the Patron Saint of England, is on horseback, sword in hand. On the floor to the left is a broken spear from a previous offensive. Pistrucci's depiction dates back to 1817. He designed and engraved the artwork himself and was paid 100 guineas for his services. This is equivalent to about £8,000 today - it sounds like The Royal Mint got a bit of a bargain there!
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, a role Her Majesty has held since her accession to the throne in 1952.
The 2011 gold bullion Sovereign coin may be supplied in an acrylic capsule.
The Legend of 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. This is despite St George being unlikely to have ever been deemed of English descent. Mythical St George is also the patron saint of Aragon, Catalonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, Germany and Greece; and of Moscow, Istanbul, Genoa and Venice (second to Saint Mark).
The gold Sovereign has a five-century long association with national pride, prestige and exceptional minting quality. This Sovereign coin is struck to Bullion standard and has legal tender status. The coin's Obverse presents the 4th Portrait of Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II, by Ian Rank-Broadley. As the longest reigning British Monarch, Her Majesty, The Queen has had Royal Portraits on coins produced by five different artists since her accession to the throne. The first Portrait was created by Mary Gillick, in 1953, followed by Arnold Machin (1968), Raphael Maklouf (1985), and Ian-Rank Broadley (1998). Most recently, the 5th Portrait was designed by The Royal Mint's Jody Clark in 2015.
The 2011 Sovereign coin was produced at The Royal Mint, which is the designated place for the UK to mint coins. Its history dates back well over 1,000 years and produces currency for over 60 countries. As one of the world's leading Mints, The Royal Mint has also helped to establish Mints in Australia, South Africa, Canada and India.
The Royal Mint first moved to the Tower of London in 1279 and remained there for over 500 years. When decimalisation was introduced in 1971, all The Royal Mint's coin production was relocated to Llantrisant, Wales. A gold Sovereign was the last coin struck in London in November 1975.
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).
