2013 Full Gold Bullion Sovereign
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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 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 date. 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 2013 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 2013 Gold Sovereign
- This pre-owned 2013 gold bullion Sovereign is struck in 22 carat gold, weighs 7.98g and contains 7.32g of fine gold.
- A mintage of 261,581 bullion Sovereign coins were produced at The Royal Mint for the year 2013 (inclusive of collectors' sets).
- 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 2013
Beyond the walls of The Royal Mint, 2013 witnessed many significant events; the deaths of world leaders Margaret Thatcher, Nelson Mandela and Hugo Chavez, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI following poor health and a meteorite landing in Russia. In the UK, the skeleton of King Richard III was discovered beneath a Leicester car park and a Jaguar was partially melted by a London skyscraper, the 'Walkie Talkie'. Meanwhile, HM The Queen celebrated the 60th Coronation anniversary. The year 2013 was a poignant year in history, now immortalised in coinage.
2013 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 Reverse (back, tails) of the 2013 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 when the talented engraver was appointed by 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, a role Her Majesty has held since her accession to the throne in 1952.
The 2013 gold bullion Sovereign coin may be supplied in an acrylic capsule. The Proof version of this Sovereign is a 'Strike on the Day' coin in honour of The Queen's 60th Coronation anniversary.
International Sovereign Production
The Sovereign, produced at The Royal Mint, was used to help Britain's international trading. From the 1850s until 1932, the Sovereign was also struck at colonial mints; Australia, Canada, South Africa and India. Since 2013, these coins have continued to be minted in India. To meet the high demand for gold coins in India, the minting of gold Sovereigns in the country with mint mark I has resumed since 2013, with quality assessed by The Royal Mint. The coins are legal tender in Great Britain.
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 Reverse depicts patron saint of England, St George, in the classic design by Benedetto Pistrucci. The Obverse design of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II is the fourth portrait design, by Ian Rank-Broadley.
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