Sovereign – Elizabeth II Young Head

Sovereign Elizabeth II Young Head Gold Coin

The Sovereign Elizabeth II Young Head forms part of arguably the world’s best-known coin and the Royal Mint’s flagship issue, the Gold Sovereign, which has a history dating back to 1489. These are pre-owned coins in excellent condition. All our pre-owned coins undergo careful checks by our team of numismatists to ensure quality and condition requirements are met. Coins will be packed loose, but coin capsules can be purchased to protect your coins which fit perfectly. Alternatively, the 10-coin Sovereign display case is also very popular to view and protect your Sovereign coins.

The obverse features the Queen Elizabeth first portrait, while the reverse displays the classic St.George and Dragon design by Benedetto Pistucci.

The coins will date between 1957-1968.

The picture illustrates the type of coin you’ll receive, not the exact item.

Design & Mintage

The Elizabeth Young Head coin marks the first Sovereign to feature Queen Elizabeth on the obverse. Also known as the Liz first portrait, it can be referred to as the pre-decimal Elizabeth Sovereign. Interestingly, the coins available are actually the second issue to feature Queen Elizabeth, after a small number of proof coins were issued in 1953 with the same portrait as this second issue. However, none of the initial coins was released so are held privately, possibly by Royalty. If you ever see a 1953 Young Head coin, snap it up!

The portrait is designed by Mary Gillick and features a young Elizabeth wearing a wreath on her head, reflecting the optimism of the era with a new monarch on the throne. The design achieved a refreshing contrast to previous Sovereign portraits with a modern feel and look. The pre-decimal depiction of the Queen was featured both on UK coins and those of the commonwealth.

History

Born in 1926, Elizabeth succeeded her father George VI to the throne in 1952 at the tender age of 26. Becoming the Queen of the UK also meant being Queen to Canada, Australia and New Zealand and being head of the commonwealth. Actually, when she was born as third in line to the throne, she wasn’t expected to become queen due to the young age of those in front of her, especially her uncle Edward, who was expected to marry and have children himself. However, when her grandfather George V died in 1936, her uncle succeeded him to the throne, only to abdicate the same year after his proposed marriage to a divorcee Wallis Simpson caused outrage. Elizabeth’s father George VI becomes the 3rd monarch of the year. If he’d later had a son, Elizabeth would have been pushed down the hierarchy. But he didn’t, and after his death in 1952, young Elizabeth took to the throne against all odds.

Our Expert Opinion

The Sovereign Elizabeth II Young Head is a fairly plentiful Sovereign coin. It strikes a lovely balance between value and representing a piece of history in an exciting era of modernisation. Due to their modest age and numismatic value, they tend to command lower premiums than many of the King Sovereigns and of course the Victoria Sovereign coins and are always in fantastic condition. This coin is suitable for those starting their journey into gold investment as the coin is incredibly liquid and appeals to a wide range of investors.