Winning Set Details

2021 Best Classic Set

145813 Points

GREAT BRITAIN, GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGNS, CIRCULATION ISSUES, 1817-1915

By TMS Coins

This Registry Set contains Gold Half-sovereigns from the first year of issue by the Royal Mint in 1817 until 1915, when the production of half-sovereigns ceased in Great Britain. All these half-sovereigns are supposed to be the "old ones" in relation to the more recent ones which re-appeared in 1982. The GOLD SOVEREIGN is one of Britain's famous coins and is highly collectable in its own right. A coin full of history and emotional attachment which has become an icon of Britain itself. The Sovereign is known all over the world for its famous St George and the dragon design by esteemed engraver Benedetto Pistrucci. Synonymous with wealth and reliability the sovereign has played an important part in the nation's, and the world's history. The sovereign flourished alongside Britain's growing empire to become a coin of international status. Its fineness and accuracy is amongst the highest standards of any coins throughout the world and is held in high regard for the reliability of its 22 carat gold, its weight and quality carefully maintained by The Royal Mint. Highly prized for its numismatic value, the sovereign is the favourite of coin collectors the world over. BRIEF HISTORY On 28 October 1489 King Henry VII of England gave authority for the production of a new gold coin of one pound or twenty shillings in value,15.55 grams (240 grains) in weight and made from the traditional fine-gold standard established under Edward III. This coin became known as a " SOVEREIGN " because the obverse design depicted the King enthroned in regal splendor. It was the largest coin yet issued in England and also the most beautiful. The ORIGINAL GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGN, a coin of half-pound or ten shillings in value and 96 grains in weight, was introduced a few years after the gold sovereign, during the reign of King Henry VIII (1509-1547). This was in the year 1544, nearly 300 years before the modern coinage period. The original design was basically a smaller version of the full sovereign. The obverse features the crowned King facing and seated in his chair of state holding his sceptre and orb, and with a large rose at his feet. The legend reads HENRIC 8 GRA AGL FRANCIE HIBER REX. The reverse displays a royal shield quartered and containing the arms of France and England, and this is supported on either side by a lion and a dragon. The letters HR are placed at the bottom. The legend reads IHS AUTEM TRANSIES PERIM EDIUM ILLORUM IBAT. The mint mark Lis appears within the legend centrally placed at the top on both obverse and reverse of the coin. The gold half-sovereign continued to be issued in similar form for the reign of Edward VI (1547-1553), the young boy who succeeded his father at only nine years of age. In his short reign of just over six years four distinct series of gold coins were produced and all but one of these carried the bust and name of his father Henry VIII. It is interesting to note that the exception was the gold half-sovereign, and this features the much more youthful head of Edward himself. The gold half-sovereign was next struck in the reign of James I (1603-1625) during his first coinage up to and including 1604 and then discontinued. With the introduction of regular machine made "milled" coinage under Charles II (1660-1685) the half guinea was introduced, with a value originally of ten shillings, but later of ten shillings and sixpence. So the gold half-sovereign would not appear again until the reign of George III (1760-1820). In 1816 there was a major change in British coinage powered by the industrial revolution. The Royal Mint moved from the Tower of London to new premises on nearby Tower Hill and acquired powerful new steam-powered coining presses designed by Mathew Boulton and James Watt. In 1817 the "modern" sovereign and half-sovereign were born. The "modern" SOVEREIGN, smaller and featuring on the reverse the classic St. George and the dragon design by Benedetto Pistrucci and the "modern" HALF-SOVEREIGN featuring the Royal Arms were introduced in 1817, during the reign of King George III (1760-1820), taking the form in which we know them today. SPECIFICATIONS OF THE "MODERN" GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGN DIAMETER: 19.3-19.4mm ( 1834 half-sovereign: 17.9mm ). WEIGHT: 3.994g ALLOY: Gold. FINENESS: 22 Carat. MILLESIMAL FINENESS: 0.916 EDGE: Milled. Currency gold half-sovereigns continued to be issued by the Royal Mint in London for the reigns of King George IV (1821-1830), King William IV (1831-1837), Queen Victoria (1838-1901), King Edward VII (1902-1910), and King George V (1911-1915). Proof versions of HALF-SOVEREIGNS were also issued in every reign since 1817. In 1914 mintage of gold still continued to be high even though World War I commenced during this year. Following the outbreak the Government issued Treasury banknotes to the value of Sovereigns and Half-Sovereigns, which were convertible to gold on demand at the Bank of England. However the public were encouraged not to do this, as the gold was no doubt needed elsewhere for purchases of vital supplies from overseas. Within a few years, sovereigns and half sovereigns ceased to be used in everyday transactions. Production of half sovereigns at the Royal Mint stopped in 1915, and also at the Melbourne mint. The other branch mints continued to produce half sovereigns, Sydney Australia until 1916, Perth Australia until 1920, and Pretoria South Africa until 1926. No further half sovereigns were then issued for circulation until 1982, although half sovereigns were included in the George VI proof set of 1937 which was available for collectors, and half sovereigns were also minted but not issued for Edward VIII in 1937, and for Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. In 1980 and 1982, a proof version was issued, and this continues to the present. In 1989, a special 500th anniversary commemorative design was struck in proof, inspired by the very first gold sovereign of 1489, showing H.M. Queen Elizabeth II seated facing on a throne. The year 2000 was of particular interest to half-sovereign enthusiasts, because for the first time since 1982 the Royal Mint issued a bullion type half-sovereign which continued to be struck yearly ever since. The half sovereign is a "protected coin" for the purposes of Part II of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981. The European Commission have published a list of gold coins, including the gold sovereign and half-sovereign, which must be treated as investment gold in all EC member states. So the half-sovereign meets the criteria established in Article 344(1), point (2) of Council Directive 2006/112EC and thus should be exempt from import VAT regardless of the selling price. During the period 1817 to 1915 currency half-sovereigns were not issued by the Royal Mint on the following dates: 1822, 1829-1833, 1839-1840, 1854, 1868, 1881-1882, 1886, 1888-1889, 1916-1981, 1983-1999. However there are a few ultra rarities in these series: 1818/7 (R5), 1836 (R6), 1845 (R4), 1862 (R6), 1879 (R4); not a single example of these appeared in a decent condition for many years! MINTAGE and RARITY of Gold Half-sovereigns (1817-1915) by M.A.Marsh. GEORGE III (1760-1820) 1817: 2,080,197 C 1818: 1,030,286 R 1818/7: Not known R5 1820: 35,043 R2 GEORGE IV (1821-1830) 1821: 231,288 R5 1823: 224,280 R2 1824: 591,538 S 1825: 761,150 N 1826: 344,830 R 1827: 492,014 S 1828: 1,224,754 N WILLIAM IV (1831-1837) 1834: 133899. Small size (17.9mm). R2 1835: 772554. Normal size (19.4mm). S 1836: 146865. Normal size (19.4mm). R2 1836: Not Known. Obv. struck from sixpence die (19.4mm). R5 1837: 160207. Normal size (19.4mm). R VICTORIA (1838-1901) 1838: 273,341 R 1841: 508,835 R2 1842: 2,223,352 N 1843: 1,251,762 R 1844: 1,127,007 R 1845: 887,526 R3 1846: 1,063,928 R 1847: 928,656 R 1848: 410,595 R2 1848/7: Not Known R4 1849: 845,112 R 1850: 179,275 R3 1851: 773,275 S 1852: 1,377,671 N 1853: 2,708,796 N 1855: 1,120,362 N 1856: 2,391,909 N 1857: 728,223 S 1858: 855,578 R 1859: 2,203,813 N 1860: 1,131,500 N 1861: 1,130,867 N 1862: Not Known R6 1863: 1,374,574 R 1864: 1,758,490 N 1865: 1,834,750 N 1866: 2,058,776 N 1867: 992,795 N 1869: 1,861,764 N 1870: 981,408 N 1871: 2,217,760 N 1872: 3,235,112 N 1873: 2,003,464 N 1874: 1,883,872 N 1875: 516,240 S 1876: 2,804,187 N 1877: 1,962,800 N 1878: 2,317,506 N 1879: 35,201 R2 1880: 1,008,362 R 1883: 2,807,411 C 1884: 1,121,600 N 1885: 4,533,605 C 1885/3: Not Known R5 1887: 841,200 S 1890: 2,243,200 N 1891: 1,087,884 S 1892: 13,665,480 C 1893: 4,392,218 N 1894: 3,794,591 C 1895: 2,869,183 C 1896: 2,946,605 C 1897: 3,568,156 C 1898: 2,868,527 C 1899: 3,361,881 C 1900: 4,307,372 C 1901: 2,037,664 C EDWARD VII (1902-1910) 1902: 4,244,457 C 1903: 2,522,057 C 1904: 1,717,440 S 1905: 3,023,993 C 1906: 4,245,437 C 1907: 4,233,421 C 1908: 3,996,992 C 1909: 4,010,715 C 1910: 5,023,881 C GEORGE V (1911-1936) 1911: 6,104,106 C 1912: 6,224,316 C 1913: 6,094,290 C 1914: 7,251,124 C 1915: 2,042,747 C RARITY SCALE by Michael A Marsh C Common N Normal S Scarce R Rare R2 Very Rare R3 Extremely Rare R4 15 to 25 Examples known R5 9 to 14 Examples known R6 4 to 8 Examples known R7 Highest rarity possible Rare coins fall into two major classes: Mintage Rarities and Grade Rarities. MINTAGE RARITY: A coin which is rare because it has a low mintage relative to market demand for the coin. This must take into consideration the type of coin, the date and the mintmark combination. GRADE RARITY: An otherwise common coin that is only rare in certain grades. To elaborate the general rarity of the gold coinage (Gold sovereigns and gold half-sovereigns), despite the large mintage in each date, there are two good reasons to contribute greatly to this matter. During the Victorian period a very large quantity of worn coinage was withdrawn and melted. Bearing in mind that the sovereign and half-sovereign were then very much in use as a currency, it is not unreasonable to suggest that this withdrawal of gold coinage would certainly have contributed much to the rarity aspect. In fact It was actually the half-sovereign that had the most circulation in Victorian Britain. The second reason is that both the sovereign and half-sovereign have been extensively used in the world of jewellery, and both these coins have been a big favourite for both sexes to use in rings, earrings, bracelets and pendants. Indeed many of these coins have been lost from the collectors' tray in this way. Of the two main gold coins, half-sovereigns played a less important role internationally, serving a more domestic function and consequently being struck in smaller numbers. Wear rates recorded during the nineteenth century for half-sovereigns were always higher since the coin had a greater surface area in relation to its weight and was probably more roughly treated. Non only, therefore, did it survive less well, it was more likely to be lost in handling and was more difficult and costly to produce. Problems of wear were more extensive in relation to half-sovereigns, but sovereigns suffered as well. It was estimated that for sovereigns and half-sovereigns to fall below their minimum legal weights would take no more than 15 years. By the late 1860s 30% of sovereigns were thought to be below the least current weight and for half-sovereigns more than double that level. A further 20 years on and the problem had grown much worse. That is why half-sovereigns are a great deal more difficult to find in uncirculated condition, than finding uncirculated gold sovereigns. THE REIGNS The Reign of KING GEORGE III (1760-1820) House of Hanover. Born: 4 June 1738. Accession: 25 October 1760. Married: Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 8 September 1761 the day they met for the first time. Coronation: Tuesday, 22 September 1761. Children: nine sons, six daughters. Died: 29 January 1820, aged 81. KING GEORGE III, CURRENCY GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGNS 1817-1820. On 25 October 1760 King George II died and his grandson succeeded to the throne as George III. It was during this reign that the introduction of the new modern coinage began. Currency half-sovereigns during this reign were only issued for the years 1817,1818 and 1820, none being issued for 1819. These half-sovereigns featured on the obverse the King's head facing right and the date at the bottom of the coin; on the reverse an angular shield surmounted by the royal crown, bearing the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom. A good example of the first two dates should not prove too difficult for the collector to obtain, however, the half-sovereign for 1820 (R2 M.Marsh) will not be easy to acquire especially in high grade, and this is without doubt because a low mintage of only 35,043 of this date were struck. The 1818/7 variety (401A M.Marsh) must be exceedingly rare, as not a single example appeared for many years. The Reign of KING GEORGE IV (1820-1830) House of Hanover. Born: 12 August 1762. Accession: 29 January. 1820 Married: Caroline of Brunswick 8 April 1795 later separated and banned from attending the Coronation. Coronation: Thursday, 19 July 1821. Child: one daughter Charlotte who predeceased her Father 6 November 1817. Died: 26 June 1830, aged 67. KING GEORGE IV, CURRENCY GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGNS 1821-1828. King George IV (1763-1830) succeeded to the throne upon the death of his father George III on 29 January 1820. Three types of half-sovereigns were issued during his reign. The first half-sovereign "Type 1" was issued by the Royal Mint only for the year 1821 and it was a splendid example of both engraving and design by Pistrucci. It carried a magnificent laureate head bust of the King, and its reverse featured the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom garnished and surmounted by a large crown. The half-sovereign for 1821 (R5 M.Marsh) is an elusive coin, very difficult to obtain, especially in high grade. The half-sovereign "Type 2" was next issued in 1823 (R2 M.Marsh) with the same obverse as in 1821, but with a plain square shield surmounted by a crown on the reverse. This second issue was further struck for the years 1824 and 1825. The "Type 3" half-sovereign featured the bust of the King bare headed on the obverse. The reverse carried a beautifully garnished shield surmounted by the royal crown. "Type 3" half-sovereigns were first issued bearing the date 1826 and were also struck for 1827 and 1828. In general half-sovereigns have become a great deal more difficult to find these days, and without doubt those of George IV are very hard for the collector to acquire. The Reign of KING WILLIAM IV (1830-1837) House of Hanover. Born: 21 August 1765. Accession: 26 June 1830. Married: Adelaide of Saxe-Coburg and Meiningen, 11 July 1818 after first meeting a week before, a double wedding with his brother, Prince Edward the Duke of Kent. Coronation: Thursday, 8 September 1831. Children: two daughters who both died in childhood, ten illegitimate children previously. Died: 20 June 1837. KING WILLIAM IV, CURRENCY GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGNS 1834-1837. King William IV (1765-1837) succeeded to the throne upon the death of his elder brother in June 1830. No currency gold coins were issued for that year. Although proofs were issued of both the sovereign and half-sovereign bearing the date of 1831, and also a currency sovereign for the same year, the half-sovereign was not issued as a currency piece for this reign until 1834. The 1834 half sovereign had a diameter of only 17.9mm. This was considerably smaller than any other half-sovereign previously struck during the modern era, and they in fact measured 19.4mm; it was though the same weight and fineness as previous issues. Four more currency issues of half-sovereigns (1835, 1836, 1837) were made during this short reign, two of these bear the same date of 1836. All these half-sovereigns featured on the obverse the bare head of the King facing right, engraved by William Wyon(1795-1851), and on the reverse a garnished shield modelled and engraved by Jean Baptiste Merlen (1769-1850). The half-sovereigns of William IV very seldom appear. 1834 (R2 M.Marsh), 1835 (S M.Marsh), 1836 (R2 M.Marsh), 1837 (R M.Marsh). However, the key coin of this small group is the 1836 half-sovereign with its obverse struck from a sixpence die (R5 M.Marsh). The Reign of QUEEN VICTORIA (1837-1901) House of Hanover. Born: 24 May 1819. Accession: 20 June 1837. Married: Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 10 February 1840. Coronation: Thursday 28 June 1838. Children: four sons, five daughters. Died: 22 January 1901, aged 81. QUEEN VICTORIA, CURRENCY GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGNS 1838-1901. Queen Victoria (1819-1901), began her reign upon the death of her uncle on 20 June 1837. Many fine types and varieties of gold coinage were produced during Victoria's reign. Regarding the half-sovereign, three main types or designs were recognized during the period 1838-1901: The "Young Head", the "Jubilee Head" and the "Old Head" (Veiled Head). The first gold currency half-sovereign for this reign was issued in 1838, bearing the " Young Head " design on the obverse and the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom within a garnished shield surmounted by a crown on the reverse. Several types and varieties were issued with this design until 1885. From 1863 until 1880 inclusive the Royal Mint in London individually numbered the shield type reverse dies used to strike the currency half-sovereigns as a means of " quality control " in assessing the efficiency of use of the dies, and in tracing any weakness in the production process. Some of the dates in this period number over 100 individual dies alone. All these "Young Head" half-sovereigns are difficult to find in Mint state, especially the earliest dates. The year of 1887 brought about the fiftieth anniversary of the Queen's accession and it was marked by the introduction of a special Jubilee coinage. The new bust of the Queen by J.E.Boehm replaced the Wyon effigy currently being used. The "Golden Jubilee" gold half-sovereign was struck in 1887, bearing on the obverse the bust of the Queen facing left, wearing a small crown, veiled and with ribbon and star. The reverse once more displays the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom within a garnished shield and surmounted by a royal crown. Four more currency issues of half-sovereigns (1890, 1891, 1892, 1893) were struck with the same " Jubilee Head " design, but no coins of this kind were struck for the years of 1888 or 1889. Mintage figures relating to the Royal Mint Jubilee gold half-sovereigns are very high as one would expect, and they do in fact reveal that well over twenty two million were struck for the period of issue. In 1893 the final design of coinage known as the " Old Head " or " Veiled Head " type was introduced. This type featured on the obverse the bust of the Queen facing left, veiled and draped, and on the reverse the design of St. George mounted with streamer flowing from helmet, slaying the Dragon with sword. Nine issues of gold half-sovereigns were struck by the Royal Mint with this design (1893-1901). The Reign of KING EDWARD VII (1901-1910) House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Born: 9 November 1841. Accession: 22 January 1901. Married: Alexandra of Denmark 10 March 1863. Coronation: Saturday, 9 August 1902. Children: three sons, three daughters. Died: 6 May 1910, aged 68. KING EDWARD VII, CURRENCY GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGNS 1902-1910. King Edward VII (1841-1910) began his reign upon the death of Queen Victoria in January 1901, but no new coinage was struck during that year. The first half-sovereign for Edward VII was struck in 1902, featuring the bust of the monarch on the obverse, and on the reverse the design of Saint George slaying the Dragon. The Royal Mint continued to issue currency half-sovereigns during Edward's reign yearly until 1910. Half-sovereigns for this reign were also struck at the Australian branch mints of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. The Reign of KING GEORGE V (1910-1936) House of Windsor. Born: 3 June 1865. Accession: 6 May 1910. Married: Mary of Teck, 6 July 1893. Coronation: Thursday, 22 June 1911, second Coronation as Emperor of India at the Delhi Durbar, Tuesday, 12 December 1911. Children: five sons, one daughter. Died: 20 January 1936, aged 70. KING GEORGE V, CURRENCY GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGNS 1911-1915. King George V (1865-1936) succeeded to the throne upon the death of his father King Edward VII in May 1910. Several million gold coins were struck during his reign but few would be used for currency. The main reason for this was the Great War of 1914-1918, and the outbreak of this in August 1914 quickly saw the Government issue Treasury notes for one pound and ten shillings. The public were urged not to use gold and by 1915 gold had all but dissappeared from circulation in London. The Royal Mint struck currency half-sovereigns during George V reign for the years 1911 to 1915, all featuring on the obverse the bust of the King facing left and on the reverse the design of St.George slaying the Dragon. Half-sovereigns continued to be issued for King George V reign and after 1915 by the Australian branch mints of Melbourne (1915), Perth (1911,1915,1918), Sydney (1911,1912,1914,1915,1916) and at the branch mint of Pretoria in South Africa (1925,1926). REFERENCES: THE GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGN, 2nd Edition 2004, by MICHAEL A. MARSH. A HISTORY OF THE SOVEREIGN, by Kevin Clancy. A Royal Mint Museum publication. 2nd Edition 2017. THE SOVEREIGN, The world's most famous coin, by Daniel Fearon, 2001. COINS OF ENGLAND & THE UNITED KINGDOM, 52nd Edition 2017, by SPINK. THE COIN YEAR BOOK 2012, Edited by John W. Mussell. Twelve years since I started building up this interesting collection of these beautiful and historical coins. Twelve years full of excitement and fun, buying always the best that could be afforded. The goal from the beginning was to obtain high-grade examples for every year since their first strike in 1817. As the quality of the individual coins determines the strength and value of a collection, constant emphasis was given on quality and condition rarity. For some rarer and scarcer pieces though, I had to compromise condition in order to fill up the empty slot, hoping to upgrade as opportunity permits. It is true that in general, half-sovereigns, especially those of the 19th Century, have become a great deal more difficult to find in uncirculated condition, even more difficult than finding uncirculated gold sovereigns. It was actually the half-sovereign that had the most circulation in Victorian Britain. Many sovereigns languished in bank vaults for most of their lives. However I must continue to hunt, to recognize opportunities and be prepared to strike when a piece comes up in order to fill up the empty slots with high grade coins or upgrade certain dates. "There is no substitution for quality". Although the collection is still a work in progress, contains examples from all the Reigns. Many of the coins in this set are Top Pop or the single finest graded with quite a few condition rarities. Definitely the crown jewel of this collection is the 1844 MS66, for its pedigree, its quality and condition rarity. Highlights of condition rarities among other scarce coins are: 1820 MS64+, 1823 MS65, 1834 MS64, 1847 MS64, 1849 MS65, 1850 MS63, 1852 MS65, 1872 MS64 and 1893 MS66. Actually the year 2017 has been more exciting because it was the 200th anniversary of the "modern" sovereign and the "modern" half-sovereign which were first issued in 1817. During that year I managed to fill up some empty slots with new entries and make a few upgrades. In 2018 five more coins were added to the collection, between them the exceedingly rare 1845 VF35, the 1850 MS63 (R3, M.Marsh) and the 1838 MS64, the very first of the Victorian half-sovereigns. Also some significant upgrades were made, like the 1893 MS66 (Single finest graded), the 1835 MS64+ and others as listed below. By the end of 2020 more coins were added and more coins were upgraded, so the collection reached an 86% completion with 77 coins. RECENT ACQUISITIONS - ENTRIES 1844 MS66, 1849 MS65 ( January 2017 ). 1865 AU58 ( June 2017 ). 1874 AU55 ( June 2017 ). 1880 Die Number AU58 ( June 2017 ). 1820 MS64+ ( June 2017 ). 1853 MS63+ ( NCS submission and conservation, July 2017 ). 1860 MS63 ( September 2017 ). 1857 MS64 ( April 2018 ) 1838 MS64 ( September 2018 ) 1845 VF35 ( October 2018 ). 1850 MS63 ( October 2018 ). 1858 MS64 ( February ( 2019 ). 1859 MS64 ( April 2020 ). 1866 MS63 ( October 2020 ). 1870 MS62 ( October 2020 ). 1836 MS65 ( January 2021 ). 1848/7 MS64 ( January 2021 ). RECENT UPGRADES: 1885 MS63 ^ MS64 ( March 2017 ). 1884 MS62 ^ MS63 ( March 2017 ). 1828 MS61 ^ MS64 ( April 2017 ). 1861 AU58 ^ MS62 ( May 2017 ). 1896 AU58 ^ MS62 ( May 2017 ). 1837 AU55 ^ MS61 May 2017 ). 1885/3 AU53 ^ AU55 ( June 2017 ). 1880 No Die Number AU55 ^ AU58 ( July 2017 ). 1902 MS64 ^ MS65 ( September 2017 ). 1873 MS61 ^ MS63 ( January 2018 ). 1890 MS62 ^ MS64 ( April 2018 ). 1835 MS62 ^ MS64+ ( April 2018 ). 1893 MS65 ^ MS66 ( Crossed over from PCGS, June 2018 ). 1861 MS62 ^ MS63 ( October 2018 ). 1837 MS61 ^ MS65 ( November 2018 ). 1911 MS64 ^ MS65 ( December 2018 ). 1846 MS63 ^ MS64 ( January 2019 ). 1865 AU58 ^ MS64 ( February 2019 ). 1907 MS64 ^ MS66 ( April 2019 ). 1901 MS64 ^ MS65 ( April 2019 ). 1885/3 AU55 ^ AU58 ( June 2019 ). 1842 MS62 ^ MS64 ( August 2019 ). 1891 AU58 ^ MS64 ( December 2019 ). 1856 MS63 ^ MS64 ( May 2020 ). 1861 MS63 ^ MS65 ( May 2020 ). 1899 MS62 ^ MS65 ( May 2020 ). 1825 MS64 ^ MS64+ ( August 2020 ). 1896 MS62 ^ MS64 ( October 2020 ). 1821 MS64 ^ MS64* ( October 2020 ). 1818 MS63 ^ MS64 ( January 2021 ). Denoted by a + symbol appearing after the grade, the plus designation indicates that a coin is of superior quality for the grade and that it approaches the quality requirements for the next technical grade level. In addition to their superior technical merit, coins receiving a Plus ( + ) must have above average eye appeal. In numismatics, in addition to plus, several terms are used interchangeably to indicate this, including premium quality, PQ and high-end. Star * designation identifies coins with exceptional eye appeal, including vibrant, colorful toning or intense luster. Read more...

GREAT BRITAIN, GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGNS, CIRCULATION ISSUES, 1817-1915

By TMS Coins

Owner Comments:

Gallery

NGC Expert Comments:

Britain’s reform coinage that commenced in 1816 included gold sovereigns and half sovereigns the following year. Coinage of the latter denomination ended in Britain during 1915, due to wartime economic conditions. The fascinating history of both these “modern” coins and their pre-1817 ancestors is told in an excellent introductory essay. This amazing set is nearly complete for the 90 slots encompassed. Each is nicely illustrated and comes with very informative text about that date and the particular specimen displayed. There are far too many highlights to list here, but this is a set that’s worth studying in some detail.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

The NGC Registry is not endorsed by or associated with PCGS or CAC. PCGS is a registered trademark of Collectors Universe, Inc. CAC is a trademark of Certified Acceptance Corporation.

Add Coin

Join NGC for free to add coins, track your collection and participate in the NGC Registry. Learn more >

Join NGC

Already a member? Sign In

The NGC Registry is not endorsed by or associated with PCGS or CAC. PCGS is a registered trademark of Collectors Universe, Inc. CAC is a trademark of Certified Acceptance Corporation.

NGC is the Official Grading Service of

NGC is an Approved Grading Company of