Rare Gold Sovereigns and Bullion
Bullion coins are coins which are bought and sold on a vaiue-for-weight basis. The best prices for gold changes at least once a day due to fluctuating prices. In Britain the common bullion coins are the Sovereign (one pound coin: 1/4oz of 22ct gold) and the half Sovereign (1/2 pound coin: 1/8th oz of 22ct gold). Also popular is the Krugerrand (contains loz of pure gold) but is also available in other weights and sizes.
If a coin is polished or damaged in any way it will become worthless as a collector's coin. Avoid coins which have been mounted as jewellery or polished or which have solder marks where loops or mounts have been removed or which are damaged by scratches, dents around the edge (edge knocks) or which have holes or even holes which have been filled in (plugged). If a coin has been worn as jewellery for even a short time it will become polished as it rubs against clothes and skin.
The dates listed below are sometimes worth more than bullion value providing they are not polished or damaged and providing they are in at least EF condition. But not always. If the bullion price of a sovereign was say £80.00 and a rare date would sell to a collector for £150.00...but if the gold price rose and the bullion value became say £180.00, there will no longer be any additional collector's value. Things can change quickly in the world of gold bullion!
SOVEREIGNS HALF SOVEREIGNS Please see notes below for key.
1879 George III: all* George IV : all* William IV: all*
1908c** 1850
1913c** 1877m
1916c 1881m
1917** 1882m
1919m 1884m
1920m** 1885m
1920s 1886m
1921m 1887m
1921s** 1881s*
1922m** 1882s*
1922s** 1904p
1923m* 1908p
1923s 1909p
1924s 1918p
1924sa** 1926s**
1926s
1927m**
1928m*
1929m
1930m
1931m
NOTES/KEY
* Very rare
** Extremely rare
Letters refer to the mint mark which can be found just above the date. No mint mark indicates that the coin was minted in London.
There were no sovereigns minted between 1933 and 1956 and between 1969 and 1973 (except for the 1937 proof sovereign) and there were no half sovereigns minted between 1926 and 1979 (except for the 1937 proof sovereign).
Gold bullion coins are an excellent investment, rare or not and whether you are out to sell gold or indeed collect coins then there is good return to be enjoyed by the careful investor
