Sovereign 2012 Diamond Jubilee, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

The sovereign is a gold coin of the United Kingdom, with a nominal value of one pound sterling. Struck from 1817 until the present time, it was originally a circulating coin (see pre-decimal Sovereign) accepted in Britain and elsewhere in the world; it is now a bullion coin not intended for circulation, the intrinsic value of which is much higher than its face value.

The Royal Mint issues several denominations of the Sovereign: Five Sovereigns (Quintuple Sovereign, five pounds gold), Double Sovereign, Full Sovereign, Half Sovereign and Quarter Sovereign; the modern sovereign is a continuation of the pre-decimal sovereign, and has been issued as a decimal coin since 1974.

The designs of all denominations are identical, as - according to tradition - this type of coin has never had its value and denomination spelled out anywhere on the coin. The various denominations are only distinguished by size and weight, these being exactly in proportion to their face value. Since 1817, the composition has always been 22 carat (91.7%) gold.

In most recent years, the reverse has had Benedetto Pistrucci's design of Saint George and the Dragon; from time to time though - starting in 1989 - the Royal Mint issues one year type coins with different designs, as a celebration for major events (usually Royal in nature).

To celebrate Her Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the reverse features a rare departure from Pistrucci's classic interpretation. For the 2012 Sovereign coin, the Royal Mint launched a competition to find a new design. The Royal Mint Advisory Committee eventually selected a design by the British sculptor Paul Day.

“I have chosen to opt for a romantic version of the St George and the dragon theme,” said Paul, “a medieval knight of Arthurian legend rather than a classical hero. I have given the dragon a more threatening attitude and size, so that it represents a real menace and not a weak foe.”

Paul deliberately left very little empty space, making the reverse as engaging as possible and very different from the obverse. As he says, “I have always been attracted to detail which requires a closer look to be unpicked and fully understood.”