Product Information

Held in beautifully illustrated display cards, the half-sovereign is struck in 22 carat gold to uncirculated quality. Each gold bullion coin features the legendary St George and the dragon reverse design by Benedetto Pistrucci together with the portrait of Her Majesty The Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS on the obverse.

Background & History

'Nothing, in my opinion, is more handsome than the St George and Dragon.'
George Goschen, April 1890

In his heartfelt tribute to Pistrucci's classically elegant design, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer echoed popular sentiment, a sentiment still felt by coin collectors today.

The sovereign was first struck in 1489 on the direct orders of Tudor monarch Henry VII. Ever since, it has occupied a special place in the hearts of British subjects and numismatic experts alike.

Minting lapsed shortly after James I ascended to the throne of England in 1603 and it was to be over 200 years before sovereigns and half-sovereigns were once again struck, this time for George III in 1817.

It was George Wellesley Pole, Master of the Mint, who commissioned his protégé, Benedetto Pistrucci, to create the classic image of St George and the dragon. Basing his design on the classical legend, Pistrucci had created a lasting image of courage, virtue and determination.