Half Sovereign 1870, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

Half Sovereign 1870, Coin from United Kingdom (demonetised 1971)
CoinHalf Sovereign 1870

MintRoyal Mint Mint MarkNo mint mark Total Mintage 1,159,544 (1.2 million) , Rarity: N (Normal)
Visit the Royal Mint web site for the latest coin releases Visit the Royal Mint web site for the latest coin releases
(affiliate ad)
Obverse

Head of Queen Victoria facing left wearing ribbon in her hair; around, VICTORIA DEI GRATIA; below, 1870.

Obverse 2 by Marsh (1859 - 1871): The bust is slightly larger than on earlier coins, the Queen's hair is noticeably nearer to the G in GRATIA, and the small strand of hair that came out from behind the bun has been removed.

No designer's initials W.W. at the truncation of the Queen's neck (unlike on full sovereigns).
Obverse Inscription VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1870
Reverse

Crowned and garnished shield quartered with the arms of England (1 & 4), Scotland (2) and Ireland (3); around, BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:

A small dot is shown just above the centre of the crossed lines that divide the Ensigns Armorial (unlike coins before 1859).

Die number located under the shield.

Known die numbers (as per Marsh 1982): 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46.
Reverse Inscription BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:
EdgeMilledEdge InscriptionNone
Notes

Marsh lists mintage of 981,408.
Krause catalogues list mintage of 160,000.

References to additional information:

[Book] Marsh, Michael A. The Gold Half Sovereign. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Coins, 1982. pp. 13-40.

Half Sovereign 1870: Known varieties
Variety Coarse toothing S-3860A
Mintage Issued: unknown (included in total). Rarity: R3 (Extremely Rare)
Details

Marsh 445A, Spink S-3860A.

Spink: "Re-engraved shield legend and rosettes closer to border, coarse border teeth both sides, with die number below shield axis."
Half Sovereign 1870: References to Information Used
SourceEditionAboutLinkNotes
Marsh, The Gold Half Sovereign 1982 Coin description
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Mint
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Mintage
Marsh, The Gold Half Sovereign 1982 Varieties Coarse toothing
All (100) coins of type: Half Sovereign (Pre-decimal)
Coin NameMintageEffigyLegend
Half Sovereign 1817 2,080,197 Portrait by Benedetto Pistrucci (Laureate Head) GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA 1817
Half Sovereign 1818 1,030,286 Portrait by Benedetto Pistrucci (Laureate Head) GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA 1818
Half Sovereign 1820 35,043 Portrait by Benedetto Pistrucci (Laureate Head) GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA 1820
Half Sovereign 1821 231,288 King George IV - Laureate Head GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Half Sovereign 1823 224,280 King George IV - Laureate Head GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Half Sovereign 1824 591,538 King George IV - Laureate Head GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Half Sovereign 1825 761,150 King George IV - Laureate Head GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Half Sovereign 1826 344,830 Portrait by Jean Baptiste Merlen GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA 1826
Half Sovereign 1827 492,014 Portrait by Jean Baptiste Merlen GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA 1827
Half Sovereign 1828 1,244,745 Portrait by Jean Baptiste Merlen GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA 1828
Half Sovereign 1831 (Proof only) unknown King William IV - Bare Head GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Half Sovereign 1834 133,899 King William IV - Bare Head GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Half Sovereign 1835 772,554 King William IV - Bare Head GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Half Sovereign 1836 146,865 King William IV - Bare Head GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Half Sovereign 1837 160,207 King William IV - Bare Head GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Half Sovereign 1838 273,341 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1838
Half Sovereign 1839 (Proof only) 1,230 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1839
Half Sovereign 1841 508,835 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1841
Half Sovereign 1842 2,223,352 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1842
Half Sovereign 1843 1,251,762 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1843
Half Sovereign 1844 1,127,007 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1844
Half Sovereign 1845 887,526 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1845
Half Sovereign 1846 1,063,928 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1846
Half Sovereign 1847 982,636 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1847
Half Sovereign 1848 410,595 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1848
Half Sovereign 1849 845,112 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1849
Half Sovereign 1850 179,595 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1850
Half Sovereign 1851 773,573 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1851
Half Sovereign 1852 1,377,671 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1852
Half Sovereign 1853 2,708,796 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1853
Half Sovereign 1854 1,125,144 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1854
Half Sovereign 1855 2,391,362 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1855
Half Sovereign 1856 2,391,909 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1856
Half Sovereign 1857 728,223 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1857
Half Sovereign 1858 855,578 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1858
Half Sovereign 1859 2,203,813 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1859
Half Sovereign 1860 1,131,500 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1860
Half Sovereign 1861 1,130,867 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1861
Half Sovereign 1862 unknown Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1862
Half Sovereign 1863 1,371,574 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1863
Half Sovereign 1864 1,758,490 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1864
Half Sovereign 1865 1,834,750 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1865
Half Sovereign 1866 2,058,776 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1866
Half Sovereign 1867 992,795 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1867
Half Sovereign 1869 1,861,764 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1869
Half Sovereign 1870 1,159,544 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1870
Half Sovereign 1871 2,242,970 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1871
Half Sovereign 1872 3,604,627 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1872
Half Sovereign 1873 2,092,084 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1873
Half Sovereign 1874 1,884,432 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1874
Half Sovereign 1875 768,240 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1875
Half Sovereign 1876 2,785,187 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1876
Half Sovereign 1877 2,337,482 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1877
Half Sovereign 1878 2,081,941 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1878
Half Sovereign 1879 255,201 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1879
Half Sovereign 1880 1,089,049 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1880
Half Sovereign 1881 104,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1881
Half Sovereign 1882 158,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1882
Half Sovereign 1883 3,090,457 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1883
Half Sovereign 1884 1,181,756 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1884
Half Sovereign 1885 4,479,871 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1885
Half Sovereign 1886 120,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1886
Half Sovereign 1887 Young head 198,000 Queen Victoria - Young Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA 1887
Half Sovereign 1887 Jubilee head 1,070,567 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Half Sovereign 1888 (Proof only) unknown Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Half Sovereign 1889 64,000 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Half Sovereign 1890 2,266,023 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Half Sovereign 1891 1,233,286 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Half Sovereign 1892 13,680,486 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Half Sovereign 1893 Shield 4,536,649 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Half Sovereign 1893 St George 4,677,398 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Half Sovereign 1894 3,794,591 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Half Sovereign 1895 2,869,183 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Half Sovereign 1896 3,165,551 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Half Sovereign 1897 3,798,156 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Half Sovereign 1898 2,878,527 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Half Sovereign 1899 3,459,103 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Half Sovereign 1900 4,799,668 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Half Sovereign 1901 2,037,664 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Half Sovereign 1902 4,343,580 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1903 2,753,057 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1904 1,777,470 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1905 3,023,993 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1906 4,635,482 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1907 4,233,421 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1908 4,964,622 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1909 4,240,831 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1910 5,497,881 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1911 6,490,243 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1912 6,502,316 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1913 6,094,290 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1914 7,573,124 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1915 3,196,630 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1916 448,000 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1918 unknown King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1923 (Proof only) 655 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1925 946,615 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1926 806,540 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Half Sovereign 1937 (Proof only) 5,501 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Half Sovereign 1953 (not released) unknown Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait ELIZABETH II DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REGINA F: D: +
Advertising
London Mint Office coins.
London Mint Office coins.
My Collection
Please sign up and/or log in.
You will then be able to manage your collection and record whether you have or want this coin.
Half Sovereign 1870: Details
CountryUnited Kingdom
CurrencyPound Sterling (pre-decimal)
Coin TypeHalf Sovereign (Pre-decimal, Shield)
Issued1870
MonarchQueen Victoria
EffigyQueen Victoria - Portrait by William Wyon (Young Head)
Face Value1/2 (x Pound)
Total Mintage1,159,544 (1.2 million), Rarity: N (Normal)
CurrentNo; demonetised 1971
Material0.9167 Gold
DesignerJean Baptiste Merlen
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
Size19.3000 mm
Thickness0.9900 mm
Mass3.9940 g
OCC IDXYRV-POVR-CXGN-ODQG
Search Similar Coins to Buy (Affiliate Ad)
Search eBay for this coinSearch for United Kingdom: Half Sovereign 1870 on eBay
Advertising
Buy Silver Bullion Online
Buy Silver Bullion Online
Share or Bookmark this Page
Half Sovereign 1870: Catalogue Reference IDs
SourceReference ID
Marsh, The Gold Half Sovereign445, 445A (Coarse toothing)
Friedberg, Gold Coins of the WorldGreat Britain 246
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsGreat Britain KM# 735.2
Spink, Coins of England and the United Kingdom3860, 3860A (Coarse toothing)
Relevant Links
Tax Free Gold: Half Sovereigns For Sale: Victoria 1837 - 1901