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This is a modest collection of second millennium gold coins of Great Britain from the late 1700s into the 20th Century
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½ Sovereign - 1835
KM-722 - 3,99 g - 19,3 mm
Fineness - 0,917 Au/0,083 Cu
Mintage - 0,773M
Edge - Reeded
The obverse features a bust of King William IV (b1765-d1837). GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITTANIAR:REX F:D: (William IIII by Grace of God King of the Britons Defenderof the Faith) surrounds the bust. The reverse has the the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom contained in a plain shield, surmounted by the Royal Crown, in the centre a smaller shield containing the arms of Hannover with the date ANNO 1835. The obverse was designed by William W. Wyon and the reverse by J. B. Merlen.
½ Sovereign - 1842
KM-735.1 - 3,99 g - 19,3 mm
Fineness - 0,917 Au/0,083 Cu
Mintage - 2,223M
Edge - Reeded
The obverse features a young bust of Queen Victoria (b1819-d1901). VICTORIA DEI GRATIA (Victoria by Grace of God) surrounds the bust with the date 1842 at the bottom. The reverse has the the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom contained in a plain shield, surmounted by the Royal Crown and encircled with a laurel wreath, with the inscription BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID DEF , (British Queen, Defender of the Faith) having the united rose, thistle and shamrock placed under the shield. The obverse was designed by William W. Wyon and the reverse by J. B. Merlen.
1 Sovereign - 1861
KM-736.1 - 7,99 g - 21,5 mm
Fineness - 0,917 Au/0,083 Cu
Mintage - 7,623M
Edge - Reeded
The obverse features a young bust of Queen Victoria (b1819-d1901). VICTORIA DEI GRATIA (Victoria by Grace of God) surrounds the bust with the date 1861 at the bottom. The reverse has the the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom contained in a plain shield, surmounted by the Royal Crown and encircled with a laurel wreath, with the inscription BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID DEF , (British Queen, Defender of the Faith) having the united rose, thistle and shamrock placed under the shield. The obverse was designed by William W. Wyon and the reverse by J. B. Merlen.
1 Sovereign - 1864
KM-736.2 - 7,99 g - 21,5 mm
Fineness - 0,917 Au/0,083 Cu
Mintage - 8,656M (all dies)
Edge - Reeded
The obverse features a young bust (of a young woman of 18 on her ascension to the throne) of Queen Victoria (b1819-d1901). VICTORIA DEI GRATIA (Victoria by Grace of God) surrounds the bust with the date 1864 at the bottom. The reverse has the the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom contained in a plain shield, surmounted by the Royal Crown and encircled with a laurel wreath, with the inscription BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID DEF (British Queen, Defender of the Faith), having the united rose, thistle and shamrock placed under the shield. The obverse was designed by William W. Wyon and the reverse by J. B. Merlen. It is believed that most of the Shield reverse sovereigns were exported to India as the St. George reverse was unacceptable for religious grounds on the basis of idolatry. This was a special type that had the die number under the bow at the bottom. In this case, this was minted from Die. No. 97. Die numbers were on some sovereigns minted only from 1863 to 1884. The die numbers can be found on the reverse of the coins, beneath the wreath but above the rose near the bottom of the coin. There are many possible reasons for using die numbers. The most obvious is to be able to check and control the quality of the dies, particularly if experiments were being conducted into die wear. It is possible that different methods of treating and hardening dies may have been carried out, and die numbering would have helped to ascertain which methods of processing were most successful. Other possible reasons include quality and security control during production. This coin is particularly interesting because it has a "cud" from the rim through the "A" in Victoria (a "cud" is caused by a chipped die).
½ Sovereign - 1866
KM-735.2 - 3,99 g - 19,3 mm
Fineness - 0,917 Au/0,083 Cu
Mintage - 2,059M (all dies)
Edge - Reeded
The obverse features a young bust of Queen Victoria (b1819-d1901). VICTORIA DEI GRATIA (Victoria by Grace of God) surrounds the bust with the date 1866 at the bottom. The reverse has the the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom contained in a plain shield, surmounted by the Royal Crown and encircled with a laurel wreath, with the inscription BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID DEF , (British Queen, Defender of the Faith) having the united rose, thistle and shamrock placed under the shield. The obverse was designed by William W. Wyon and the reverse by J. B. Merlen. This was a special type that had the die number under the bow at the bottom. In this case, this was minted from Die. No. 3. Die numbers were on some half sovereigns minted only from 1863 to 1880. The die numbers can be found on the reverse of the coins, beneath the wreath but above the rose near the bottom of the coin. There are many possible reasons for using die numbers. The most obvious is to be able to check and control the quality of the dies, particularly if experiments were being conducted into die wear. It is possible that different methods of treating and hardening dies may have been carried out, and die numbering would have helped to ascertain which methods of processing were most successful. Other possible reasons include quality and security control during production.
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