In 1848, there were two varieties of shield sovereigns. The first (rarer) type, issued from 1838 to 1848, has a smaller head in higher relief (Spink reference 3852, Marsh 31A). The second type, issued from 1848 to 1872, has a slightly larger head in lower relief, and the reverse legends are repositioned (Spink reference 3852C, Marsh 31). There are some reports of an 8 over 7 in the date and missing serif's in the I's on the reverse.

Hammered gold coins called 'sovereigns' had been minted on and off between 1489-1604, whereupon James I (VI) changed the name of the 20/- gold piece to a 'Unite'. The reform coinage sovereign of 1817 onwards was issued as a normal circulation type coin, and also as a proof.

If you would like to read more about the gold sovereign, perhaps Britains most iconic numismatic piece:

The Coins of Queen Victoria - Young Head Portrait

The Sovereign - Britain's Favourite Gold Coin

Obverse

The obverse features the larger head portrait of Queen Victoria facing left and wearing a double ribbon in her hair.

The inscription reads

VICTORIA DEI GRATIA

and the date (1848) appears below the portrait.

Reverse

The reverse shows a new crowned shield design. It includes a branch of laurel at either side of the shield tied together at the bottom with a ribbon.

Beneath this, the reverse displays the thistle, rose and shamrock (symbols of Scotland, England and Ireland) with a small flower stop on each side.

The inscription reads

BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:

completing the monarch's legend, which begins on the obverse.

Specification

Metal	Gold
Diameter	22.05mm
Weight / Size	Full
Gold Weight Troy Ounces	0.235
Fineness / Carat	0.917 / 22
Mintage Figure	2,246,701
Date	1848
Spink Reference	3852C
Marsh Reference	31
Obverse Designer	William Wyon
Reverse Designer	Jean Baptiste Merlen
Issuing Monarch	Victoria (1837-1901)
Mint / Brand	The Royal Mint
Country	United Kingdom

Terms of Sale - Key Points

You can find more information on payment and identification requirements.

Bullion coins are provided as is and on occasion may have some minor scratches or edge knocks. These are not regarded as faulty or damaged goods as their precious metal content and value as a bullion coin is not affected. Any coin sold for a value less than a 180% intrinsic is considered a bullion coin.

Gold investment products are VAT free. Silver investment products are inclusive of VAT at the current rate unless otherwise stated.

All investment products are based on the live precious metal price. Prices will be fixed once the item has been added to the basket and recalculates just before checking out.

If your product is not a graded coin and is considered a bullion item, it should be noted that these are bought and sold on low premiums over their precious metal content and not solely for aesthetic purposes; therefore, some products may have edge knocks and/or marks. These edge knocks and marks do not alter the specifications of the coins.

Please note that all investment products are exempt from the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and therefore customers do not have the right to cancel their order once the order has been accepted. If customers no longer wish to go ahead with their investment purchase, there is an option to sell the products back to Chard (1964) Ltd instead. View our current buy back prices.

View our full Terms & Conditions.

Delivery Information

We aim to dispatch orders within 48 hours of receiving cleared funds. Our standard delivery methods are as follows.

Orders over £60 - Fully Insured Delivery.

Within the UK and BFPO - Next day fully insured and tracked. Delivery starts from £6.

Orders under £60

Within the UK and BFPO - Royal Mail 2nd Class. Your order will normally arrive within 2-3 working days. Delivery starts from £3.50.

If you wish to have your order sent by an alternative method (e.g., Saturday Guaranteed) please contact +441253343081 for more information. Please note, we will not dispatch high value orders over a bank holiday weekend.

For international delivery, please check with your local customs office for more information on custom duty and taxes.

Full delivery information can be found by clicking here.

Postal Insurance

We offer fully insured delivery on all special delivery options. We do need to pass on the cost of this insurance as it soon adds up shipping high value gold and silver products.

Orders under £1500 there is no additional fee.
Orders over £1500 we charge a fee in order to cover the increasing costs of insurance. For every £1500 we apply a £1 fee.

If you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to call the showroom on +441253343081 and one of our team can discuss your purchase.

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1848 Gold Sovereign Larger Victoria Young Head With Shield Reverse#