Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事!
United Kingdom
Elizabeth II
1 Sovereign
英國
伊莉莎白二世
1索維林金幣
Item number: A1536
Year: AD 1957
Material: Gold
Size: 21.8 x 21.8 x 1.4 mm
Weight: 8.0 g
Manufactured by: Royal Mint
Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2014
This is a 1 Sovereign gold coin, minted in AD 1957 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and circulated thereafter. The Sovereign was an old unit of currency in England, with the portrait on the obverse changing to reflect the ruler of the time. The mould for this gold coin was created by the Italian jewelry engraver Benedetto Pistrucci (AD 1783–1855), whose work is evident in the relief of St. George vs. the Dragon.
The obverse of the coin features a right-facing portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, who was 31 years old at the time. Surrounding the portrait is a Latin inscription, “+ELIZABETH·II·DEI·GRATIA·REGINA·F:D:,” which translates to “Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith.”
When Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in AD 1952, Britain was transitioning from its position as a global superpower, impacted by the aftermath of World War II and the worldwide decolonisation movement, to a more regional power. However, during her unprecedented 70-year reign, the United Kingdom underwent significant transformations, and Elizabeth II became a beloved figure and a symbol of the nation. On September 8, AD 2022, the Queen passed away at the age of 96. She was succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III, who assumed the throne at the age of 73.
The reverse of the coin features a relief depicting the Christian biblical story of Saint George slaying the dragon. In this tale, Saint George is a revered Christian soldier who one day encounters a village plagued by a dragon. The dragon continually demanded sacrifices from the villagers, and after all the livestock had been offered, the villagers were forced to use human beings as tribute.
One day, a princess volunteered to sacrifice herself to the dragon. As she wept before the dragon’s lair, she encountered Saint George passing through the area. The princess shared the tale of the dragon’s cruelty and urged Saint George to leave for his own safety. However, Saint George refused and instead successfully slew the dragon. The villagers, moved by Saint George’s righteous act, renounced their pagan beliefs and converted to Christianity.
The term “Sovereign” was historically used in the United Kingdom to refer to a gold coin with a value equivalent to one pound sterling. The creation of the Sovereign is closely linked to the passage of the Liverpool’s Act in AD 1816.
Between the outbreak of the French Revolution in AD 1792 and the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars in AD 1815, Britain incurred substantial military and economic expenditures in its competition with France for dominance in Europe. These costs extended beyond domestic spending, as Britain also financed its allies, including Austria, Prussia, and Russia. This immense financial burden led to a shortage crisis in the country’s existing silver standard currency.
To restore Britain’s economic strength, Parliament passed the Liverpool’s Act, which introduced the gold standard currency, including the Sovereign, and established new exchange rates between gold and silver to stabilise the economy.
Since AD 1817, when the Sovereign became a circulating currency in the United Kingdom, it spread further with the expansion of the British Empire, circulating in many countries and colonies around the world. It was not until the outbreak of World War I in AD 1914 that the Sovereign was replaced by newly issued banknotes in Britain. However, in the Middle East, influenced by British monetary practises, the Sovereign continued to be used as a denomination of currency until it was replaced in the 1950s.