Introduced in 1544 during Henry VIII’s reign, the Half-Sovereign was later revived in the early nineteenth century. Historically, fewer Half-Sovereigns than Sovereigns were struck, which has given the denomination its own prestige.

Collecting Half-Sovereigns is a good alternative to collecting Sovereigns, as the designs are often the same and the size of the coin is only a couple of millimetres smaller, so you can still appreciate the beauty of the coin for a smaller outlay.