Many kings and queens have reigned throughout British history. Over time, it became customary for newly crowned British monarchs to mark the occasion with a Coronation Medal, the first of which dates back to the reign and coronation of Edward VI. However, in the early twentieth century, The Royal Mint also began to release Sovereigns to coincide with these occasions, the first of which honoured the coronation of Edward VII in 1902.
With the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III in May 2023, His Majesty The King becomes the latest monarch to have a Sovereign struck in time for his coronation. However, unlike his predecessors, The King also holds the distinction of being the first monarch to have a bespoke Coronation Sovereign released specifically to commemorate the occasion.
Join us as we explore the brief yet fascinating relationship between The Sovereign and coronation ceremonies – a relationship that began in the early 1900s and continues on to this day.
1902
Edward VII Sovereign
The 1902 Edward VII Sovereign features a portrait of Edward VII, facing right, by George William De Saulles on the obverse, whilst the familiar St George and the dragon design by Benedetto Pistrucci appears on the reverse of the coin. Sadly, De Saulles passed away suddenly just a year later, in July 1903, at the age of just 41.
1911
George V Sovereign
Pistrucci’s St George and the dragon once again features on the reverse of this Sovereign coin, whilst the obverse features a portrait of George V, who faces left, designed by Australian sculptor and medallist Bertram Mackennal. Following his decision to change the name of the Royal House from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1917, due to the anti-German sentiment of the wartime period, George V was the first monarch of the House of Windsor.
1937
George VI Sovereign
Due to the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII, George VI faces left, much like George V, in Humphrey Paget’s portrait of the monarch that features on the George VI Sovereign. Whilst we did not release new coinage into circulation during Edward VIII’s brief reign, a decision was made that George VI’s portrait should be prepared as if Edward VIII coinage had been produced, which would have shown the monarch facing right. As George VI faces left in his portrait, this decision ensured the continuation of the numismatic tradition of a successive monarch facing the opposite direction to their predecessor on coins.
1953
Elizabeth II Sovereign
As we only produced a handful of these coins, the Elizabeth II Sovereign released in time for her coronation in 1953 is a little-known addition to the illustrious history of The Sovereign. In keeping with tradition, we produced coronation coin sets upon Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne that included the 1953 Proof Sovereign. We did not issue these coins to the public and today these sets are held in institutional collections, including the collection housed at The Royal Mint Museum.
2023
King Charles III Coronation Sovereign
The 2023 Coronation Sovereign is the second Sovereign to feature His Majesty The King’s likeness and the first Sovereign of His Majesty’s reign to feature Pistrucci’s St George and the dragon design on the reverse of the coin. Featuring a crowned coinage portrait of King Charles III on the obverse, designed by Martin Jennings exclusively for The Royal Mint, this is the first and only Sovereign collection to feature a crowned coinage portrait of The King.
Edward VII Sovereign
The 1902 Edward VII Sovereign features a portrait of Edward VII, facing right, by George William De Saulles on the obverse, whilst the familiar St George and the dragon design by Benedetto Pistrucci appears on the reverse of the coin. Sadly, De Saulles passed away suddenly just a year later, in July 1903, at the age of just 41.
George V Sovereign
Pistrucci’s St George and the dragon once again features on the reverse of this Sovereign coin, whilst the obverse features a portrait of George V, who faces left, designed by Australian sculptor and medallist Bertram Mackennal. Following his decision to change the name of the Royal House from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1917, due to the anti-German sentiment of the wartime period, George V was the first monarch of the House of Windsor.
George VI Sovereign
Due to the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII, George VI faces left, much like George V, in Humphrey Paget’s portrait of the monarch that features on the George VI Sovereign. Whilst we did not release new coinage into circulation during Edward VIII’s brief reign, a decision was made that George VI’s portrait should be prepared as if Edward VIII coinage had been produced, which would have shown the monarch facing right. As George VI faces left in his portrait, this decision ensured the continuation of the numismatic tradition of a successive monarch facing the opposite direction to their predecessor on coins.
Elizabeth II Sovereign
As we only produced a handful of these coins, the Elizabeth II Sovereign released in time for her coronation in 1953 is a little-known addition to the illustrious history of The Sovereign. In keeping with tradition, we produced coronation coin sets upon Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne that included the 1953 Proof Sovereign. We did not issue these coins to the public and today, these sets are held in institutional collections, including the collection housed at The Royal Mint Museum.
King Charles III Coronation Sovereign
The 2023 Coronation Sovereign is the second Sovereign to feature His Majesty The King’s likeness and the first Sovereign of His Majesty’s reign to feature Pistrucci’s St George and the dragon design on the reverse of the coin. Featuring a crowned coinage portrait of King Charles III on the obverse, designed by Martin Jennings exclusively for The Royal Mint, this is the first and only Sovereign collection to feature a crowned coinage portrait of The King.
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