1936 Gold Edward VIII Replica Fantasy Sovereign

The 1936 Gold Edward VIII Replica Fantasy Sovereigns showcase King Edward VIII, who had the briefest reign as King of England. The fantasy piece features a passable likeness of the 'St George and the Dragon' reverse design, resembling the original masterpiece by Benedetto Pistrucci.

• 9 carat gold / 375 fineness
• Special Scheme
• Actual Gold Weight: 0.07342
• Weight: 6.09g
• Diameter: 22mm

Please Note: this fantasy sovereign holds no legal tender status and is not an official UK gold coin. No sovereigns were minted during the short reign of King Edward VIII. This replica coin has been crafted to show what the sovereign could have looked like. 

King Edward VIII

King Edward VIII sparked a crisis when he abdicated the throne in 1936, after just 326 days of being King, to marry the American, Wallis Simpson. The only coins issued during his reign were British West African pennies of 1936, which did not feature a portrait. No British coins were issued in his name, apart from rare patterns of prospective coinage, which were intended to be issued following his coronation. One of the sovereigns of Edward VIII was sold at the "Hemisphere" collection for £516,000.

Official Patterns

Only a very small quantity of official pattern coins were produced for Edward VIII, and these are all dated 1937, as this would have been their first year of issue. None of these were issued to the public for circulation, or to collectors

Unofficial Patterns

Various editions of fantasy coins and unofficial patterns have emerged over time. In recent times, there has been an increase in the creation of "patterns" to satisfy the desires of collectors. Although a few vendors provide accurate information about their status, a considerable portion, regrettably, do not. Notably, certain online marketplaces feature sellers who present these purely medallic items as if they were authentic, original, official, rare, and valuable pieces.

Both sides are similar in appearance to a sovereign, the obverse having a portrait, facing left, of Edward, with the legend:

EDWARD VIII D G REX FID DEF

The reverse has a St George and dragon, with a passable likeness to the Pistrucci original, and the date in the exergue:

1936