Sovereign (British coin)
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The sovereign is a British sterling gold coin with a nominal value of one pound, and contains 0.2354 troy ounces of pure gold. Struck since 1817, it was originally a circulating coin that was accepted
Sovereign of Queen Mary I, c. 1553
A £1 note issued in 1814 by the Gloucester Old Bank
1817 sovereign of George III
The sovereign replaced the guinea (pictured).
Guinea (coin)
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The guinea was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where much
Sovereign (British coin)
…1603, and originated as part of the Great Recoinage of 1816. Many in Parliament believed a one-pound coin should be issued rather than the 21-shilling guinea that was struck until that time. The Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, had Pistrucci design the new coin; his depiction was also used for…
Guinea of King Charles II
King James II, with elephant and castle under the bust, 1686