Issued in the 100th anniversary year of Pistrucci’s St George & the Dragon design, Australia’s 1917 Sovereigns represent a major landmark in the long history of ‘the world’s most famous gold coin’.
Historic 1917 Sovereigns
Struck from 7.98 grams of 22 carat gold and measuring 21.5mm in diameter, each coin is a genuine sovereign minted during the First World War. Available in Uncirculated condition.
Iconic St George and the Dragon Reverse Design
The sovereign features a large uncrowned bust of King George V facing left.
Presentation Packaging and Numbered Certificate
Each coin is housed in a lavish black timber case with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
In Australia the Sydney Mint was established in 1855 as a branch of the Royal Mint in London. Its primary objective together with the mints of Melbourne (1872 - 1931) and Perth (1899 - 1931) was to strike Sovereigns and Half Sovereigns from the gold that had been discovered in the goldfields of Victoria and New South Wales in 1851.
The Australian Minted Gold Sovereign Series 1855 – 1931 consists of 9 different types. The Sydney Mint Type 1 (1855 -1856), Sydney Mint Type 2 (1857 – 1870), Victorian Young Head Shield Reverse (1871 – 1887), Victorian Young Head St George Reverse (1871 – 1887), Victorian Jubilee Head (1887 – 1893), Victorian Veiled Head (1893 – 1901), King Edward VII, (1902 – 1910), King George V Large Head (1911 – 1928) and King George V Small Head (1929 – 1931).
The later King George V Sovereigns are either Very Scarce or Rare due to the mints cutting back on mintages struck. Dates: 1919M, 1920M & S, 1921S & M, 1922S & M, 1923S, 1924S & P, 1925P, 1926P, S & M, 1927P, 1928M & P, 1929M, 1930M & 1931M.
Sovereigns could be produced at one mint, two mints or at all mints, and when enough coins were thought to be in circulation no sovereigns were produced at all. Australian Sovereigns can be collected by Date, Type, and Mint mark or by a combination of these.