The 1859 Gold Sovereign. Ansell or 'Ansell-Ribbon' variation. This is a very rare coin (maybe only 15-25 still in existence) when George Ansell tested an experimental alloy of gold. The only noticeable difference between this and the standard 1859 issue is an additional ribbon used to tie back Queen Victoria's hair.
Obverse is Queen Victoria Young Head. Reverse is a Shield.
In recent years, examples of this coin has been sold for £3,000-£4,000 depending on condition.
Image credit: Justine Philip, Museums Victoria.
The ribbon difference is subtle and can be difficult to spot on worn coins.
Mintage: 167,539 (may include coins in sets)
Minted at The Royal Mint
More information (monarch, year, mint, country, category) can be found below coin listings.
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Remember 1859 ?
Monarch is Queen Victoria. Prime Minister is Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (Conservative) then on 12 June it was Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (Liberal). US President is James Buchanan. Charles Darwin publishes The Origin of Species. Charles Dickens publishes A Tale of Two Cities. The National Portrait Gallery opens in London. In America, Indian Head cent is minted for the first time. General Post Office builds the first National Standard pillar box. The clock and chimes of the Clock Tower, Palace of Westminster become operational; the great bell is nicknamed "Big Ben" by association with Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover.
Victoria (1837-1901)
Victoria was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she adopted the additional title of Empress of India. Victoria ruled for 64 years, a record only recently surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II.Victoria's parents were Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathern, and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. She married Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who later became known as Prince Albert. Victoria had nine children, the eldest son succeeding her as Edward VII.
Victoria posed for a number of head portraits, but there are generally three major variants: Young Head (1838-1887) by William Wyon, RA; Jubilee Head (1887-1893) by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm and Old Head (1893-1901) by by Sir Thomas Brock.
Category: Sovereigns
The 1859 Gold Sovereign Ansell is an example of the Gold Sovereign and is one of the most ubiquitous of all coins and much sought after by both coin collectors and bullion investors. Sovereigns have been minted since 1817 (in Britain 1817-1917, 1925 and 1957 on). At coins fairs you often hear the dealers refer to these coins as Sovs.Besides being minted in Britain, Sovereigns have been made in Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Perth), India (then Bombay, now Mumbai), Canada (Ottawa) and South Africa (Pretoria) although these regional mints have not made sovereigns since 1932 (although India has produced some recently in a private mint partnership with the Royal Mint). The non-British coins carry a small mintmark ('S','M','P','I','C' or 'SA') just above the date. This 1859 Gold Sovereign Ansell was minted at The Royal Mint.
The Obverse is the Monarch's head (Victoria) and the Reverse is most often St George and the Dragon, although other backs have been used and are of interest to collectors. The Reverse often gives the Sovs a new term, like "ShieldBacks".
Specifications for the Gold Sovereign
- Weight: 7.9881g
- Diameter: 22.05 mm
- Thickness: 1.52 mm
- Purity: 22 carat = 91.67% (11/12ths gold, 1/12th copper. Adding copper makes the coin more scratch and dent resistant)
- Gold Content: 113 grains = 7.3224 g = 0.2354 troy ounce
- Face value: £1 = 20 shillings
- Monarch: Victoria
History
Up until 1604 there was a coin called the English gold sovereign and in 1816 when there was the "Great Recoinage" the name was revived. At that time standard gold (22 carat) was valued at £46 14s 6d per troy pound; this meant a £1 coin needed to weigh 123.2744783 grains or 7.988030269 g. The weight is still the same today.
As a historical note: to maintain the Gold Standard, in 1816 the value of silver was set at 66 shillings for one troy pound and silver coins were only legal for denominations up to £2.
The first sovereigns carried the head of King George III and the famous George and the Dragon design by Benedetto Pistrucci (29 May 1783 – 16 September 1855), an Italian engraver who became chief medallist at the Royal Mint.
With high value coins such as the 1859 Gold Sovereign Ansell, collectors and bullion investors often worry about forgeries but actually gold coins are very difficult to forge due to gold's unique properties of density and colour. Gold is extremely dense and to use another metal and gold-plate it would result in a coin that is under-weight, over-diameter or half as thick, something that would be spotted very easily. More difficult to spot would be a bullion coin melted down and re-cast as a highly collectable date, but an expert can usually tell these too. You should always use reputable dealers.
Which Mint: The Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is the designated place for the UK to mint coins. It dates back well over 1000 years and is a Government-owned company. Formed in the reign of Alfred the Great about the year 886, during the period 1279-1812 it was generally referred to as The Tower Mint as it was housed at the Tower of London. The Master of The Royal Mint has included famous figures such as Sir Isaac Newton.
Since 2010 it has operated as Royal Mint Ltd, a company owned by HM Treasury, under an exclusive contract to supply all coinage for the UK although it also produces medals and coins for other countries. It is currently located at Llantrisant, Wales.
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
The United Kingdom (UK) is the Union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is often refered to as Great Britain (GBR). It has a long, rich history. The orignal coinage was Pounds, Shillings and Pence but since decimalisation on 15 February 1971, it is £1 = 100p, that is One Pound = 100 pence. The coinage of the UK is also a long history, the Royal Mint being established as long ago as 886AD when coins were hammered. Today there is perhaps 30 billion coins in circulation, and many (numismatic) collectors coins and sets are issued frequently in gold, silver and other metals.
On eBay UK:
 | Bullion Gold Half Sovereign Best Value £ 436.65 |
 | 1904 Edward VII Gold Half Sovereign London Very Fine Condition £ 430.00 |
 | 1982 Sovereign Coin.. Large Replica / Display / Paperweight / memorabilia £ 203.50 |
 | 2026 Reverse Frosted Gold Proof Sovereign - Low COA £ 1,650.00 |
 | 2025 Gold Sovereign 'Last of the Rose Gold' £ 867.98 |
 | 1820 Sovereign 22ct Gold Coin of George III Full Sovereign Coin £ 1,006.30 |
 | Half Sovereign Coin Mount Pendant 2.8g 9ct Hallmarked £ 167.10 |
 | 1909 Edward VII Royal Mint Full 22 carat Gold Sovereign Coin £ 899.20 |
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On eBay USA:
| Bullion Gold Half Sovereign Best Value £ 436.65 |
| 1904 Edward VII Gold Half Sovereign London Very Fine Condition £ 430.00 |
| 1982 Sovereign Coin.. Large Replica / Display / Paperweight / memorabilia £ 203.50 |
| 2026 Reverse Frosted Gold Proof Sovereign - Low COA £ 1,650.00 |
| 2025 Gold Sovereign 'Last of the Rose Gold' £ 867.98 |
 | 1853 VICTORIA SHIELD GOLD SOVEREIGN FABULOUS A/U GRADE EXAMPLE £ 980.00 |
| Half Sovereign Coin Mount Pendant 2.8g 9ct Hallmarked £ 167.10 |
 | 1907 King Edward VII Full Sovereign Gold COIN AU50- FREE POST £ 868.60 |
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View Coins on eBay USA