Gold £2 Sovereign coin (Double Sovereign)
The £2 Sovereign, also known as the Double Sovereign, features a range of different designs. The Royal Mint has issued the £2 coin since 1820. All our pre-owned coins undergo strict quality checks by our team of experts to ensure their condition is excellent, The coins are issued without expensive presentation boxes to maximize the amount of gold for your money.
The picture illustrates the type of coin you’ll receive, not the exact item.
History & Mintage
With the popularity of Sovereigns, it seems to be a natural gap to fill to produce double-sized versions, especially considering the Sovereign’s relatively modest size. With gold always associated with a display of power and wealth, larger coins certainly have their place. But the £2 Sovereign coin, while first produced in very limited issue (arguably as a pattern coin) under George III and his successor, was always a very occasional coin until more consistent issuance in recent years. The first £2 coin produced under Queen Victoria was to mark her golden jubilee in 1887, with more coins minted in 1893 to celebrate the launch of the revised portrait. The last time the £2 Sovereign was produced for circulation was in 1902 to mark the coronation of Edward VII.
Design
Since 1980 the Royal Mint has minted the Double Sovereign annually and actively marketed the coin to the public. Mintage is very limited, generally with around 1,000 produced in a year, but this value varies from design to design. While many of the £2 Sovereign coins display the monarch on the obverse and St George slaying the Dragon on the reverse, the coin is now used to commemorate special events and anniversaries, in a similar way to the £5 Sovereign. Particular focus is given to sporting events and celebrations of scientific landmarks. Special editions of the £2 Sovereign have featured diverse events such as the UN 50th Anniversary, the 1996 UK hosted the European Football championship, the abolition of the slave trade and the invention of the steam engine. On these occasions, the reverse of the coins features a unique design representing that particular event.
Apart from 2014, when a batch of 13,000 Double Sovereigns was issued in Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) condition, all £2 Sovereigns have been issued since 1980 as proof coins, reflecting their collectable and celebratory nature. Many of these coins are issued as part of 3, 4 and 5 coin Sovereign sets.
Our expert opinion
We always like to include at least one £2 Sovereign in a mixed portfolio of tax-free gold coins if availability allows. As a UK coin with a face value of £2, the Double Sovereign qualifies as a CGT exempt coin. As a larger coin, it can provide better value than half Sovereigns, while providing a portfolio with a variety of coin sizes. With a majority produced in limited numbers and as proof coins, you may need to guidance from the Physical Gold team to ensure the correct balance is struck between value and collectability. We’re able to source proof £2 coins which were originally part of a Sovereign set but which is now traded separately. This enables us to offer these at far lower premiums than if you bought as a complete set, with the added advantage that you can sell the proof coin for a higher price when the time comes. The various designs on the back of these coins add an element of collectability which can add value to the coin while you own it, especially with such limited mintage quantities. We like pairing the £2 Sovereign with £5 Sovereigns, various Sovereigns, and the diminutive Half Sovereign.
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