South African Sovereign Gold Coins

About the South African Sovereign Gold Coin

Gold sovereigns date back to centuries ago, being first issued under the reign of King Henry VII in 1489. It’s present design featuring Saint George triumphantly slaying a dragon on its reverse side and King George III on its obverse side was introduced 1816 and was minted regularly up until 1932.  Gold Sovereigns produced amid the rules of Edward VII and George V are the most highly sought after and pre-1933 gold coins. The British gold sovereign most commonly seen today was first introduced in the 1800’s under the reign of Queen Victoria. This coin came to be the world’s most broadly appropriated gold coin being minted originally in London, and later by mints all across the globe from Pretoria, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, to Ottawa and Bombay. The depiction of Saint George on his courageous steed, slaughtering the mythical dragon, is the most familiar reverse side design and is featured on all offerings of the coins.

The Size of the South African Sovereign Gold Coins

The South African Sovereign Gold Coin was struck by the same size specifications as its predecessors. The gold content of the coin was established through the Coin Act of 1816 and is as follows: gold sovereigns are made of 0.2354 troy ounces (7.98 g) of 22-karat .9167 pure gold, which was the equivalent of 113 grains at that time. The exact measurements of the coin are 22.05 mm in diameter and 1.52 mm thickness.

The Design of the South African Sovereign Gold Coin

On the obverse side of the coin is depicted the bust of George V, the reigning monarch, surrounded by the words “GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT OMN REX F.D. IND. IMP”. On the reverse side of the coin is depicted the image of St. George, drafted by the brilliant and young, yet very talented, Italian engraver, Benedetto Pistrucci. In this representation, St. George is riding a horse while killing a dragon. This remarkably artistic depiction has been introduced for sovereign coins since 1817. On the reverse side of the coin is also engraved the year of mintage. The outstanding design of the South African Sovereign, along with its scarcity, makes this coin of the most desired gold coins available on the precious metal market.

If you have any questions about these extremely rare South African Gold Sovereign Coins, please do not hesitate to contact us at 800.852.6884. You can also reach a Bullion Exchanges customer service representative online through use of our live chat feature, or by email at info@bullionexchanges.com.