Queen Elizabeth II Sovereigns Head Type Set (4/5 Sovereigns)

Queen Elizabeth II Sovereigns Head Type Set (4/5 Sovereigns)

Option 1 : Includes all Queen Elizabeth II portraits (5 Sovereigns) 

Queen Elizabeth II Sovereigns Head Type Set (5 Sovereigns), Contains 1 each of the following examples, Pre-Decimal  (1957-68), Decimal (1974 - 82), Maklouf (Proof Sovereign 1985-97), 4th Portrait (2000-2015), New portrait 2016-Date.

 Set Specification - Option 1

- Number of Full Sovereigns: 5
- Struck in 22ct gold 
- Fineness: .916
- Total Coin Weight: 39.9g (sovereign weighs can vary 7.96g-8.00g)
- Total Gold Content: 0.234 x 5 = 1.17 Troy ounces

Option 2 : Includes all above except for the Maklouf portrait Sovereign which were only issued as proof coins 1985-97 (4 Sovereigns)

 Set Specification - Option 2

- Number of Full Sovereigns: 4
- Struck in 22ct gold 
- Fineness: .916
- Total Coin Weight: 31.92g (sovereign weighs can vary 7.96g-8.00g)
- Total Gold Content: 0.234 x 4 = 0.936 Troy ounces

Queen Elizabeth II Sovereigns 1957-1968

The very first sovereigns struck of Queen Elizabeth’s reign were dated 1953 and only a very few were struck in proof form, no currency type coins exist and the proof itself is only held in national collections so it is not one which is expected to come to the market place. I mention this very special coin as its portrait design by Mary Gillick remained exactly the same for the first year of the currency type issue in 1957 but due to changes in the Commonwealth the words BRITT.OMN had been removed from the obverse. So by the time the public got their first look at the sovereign we were already on the 2nd bust. 

Mary Gillick’s second portrait design also known as the pre-decimal head sovereign was produced from 1957-1959 and 1962-1968, 1960-61 do not exist. The 1957 has a finer edge milling often referred to as graining and to simplify means that it has more milling then 1958 onwards. 

Queen Elizabeth II Sovereigns 1974-1982

Obverse: Queen head facing right wearing a coronet, The initials of the designer do not appear and the truncation is blank.

Reverse: St.George mounted with sword attacking the dragon, streamer flowing from St George's helmet. The date appears below the exergue line at the bottom with the letters B.P. to the right.

Queen Elizabeth II Sovereigns (4th Portrait) 2000-2015

Obverse: Queen facing right wearing a tiara, initials IRB. denoting designer Ian Rank-Broadley raised below truncation. 

Reverse: St.George mounted with sword attacking the dragon, streamer flowing from St George's helmet. The date appears below the exergue line at the bottom with the letters B.P. to the right.

Queen Elizabeth II Sovereigns (New Portrait) 2016 - Date

Obverse: The fifth definitive portrait of Her Majesty The Queen was unveiled 2nd March 2015. The design is by Jody Clark, who aged 33, is the youngest artist to have achieved this honour. The design was selected via a competition, commissioned by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee, which invited Royal Mint engravers and designers, along with specially invited artists from the public, to submit their designs. 

Reverse: St.George mounted with sword attacking the dragon, streamer flowing from St George's helmet. The date appears below the exergue line at the bottom with the letters B.P. to the right. The 2017 sovereign features a shield mint mark denoting the 200th anniversary of the modern Sovereign.