Coin values · 22 carat gold · since 1817
British gold sovereign value: 0.2354 oz gold melt today
A British gold sovereign holds 0.2354 troy oz (7.32 g) of pure gold in a 22-carat coin. It has been struck to the same standard since 1817, so a Victorian sovereign and a new one have the same melt value; bullion sovereigns trade a little above it. At the Nov 3, 2026 close ($3,929.23/oz gold), one coin’s 0.2354 oz of gold was worth $925.
British gold sovereign specifications
| Years struck | 1817 to today (modern sovereign) |
|---|---|
| Reverse design | St George and the Dragon by Benedetto Pistrucci (1817); obverse: the reigning monarch |
| Mints | Royal Mint (London, then Llantrisant, Wales); branch mints in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Ottawa, Bombay and Pretoria |
| Composition | 22 carat: eleven-twelfths (916.7) fine gold, the rest mostly copper |
| Weight | 7.98805 g |
| Diameter | 22.05 mm, milled edge |
| Gold content (AGW) | 0.2354 troy oz (7.3224 g) |
| Face value | One pound (£1), UK legal tender |
| Melt value | $925 at the Nov 3, 2026 close ($3,929.23/oz gold); live value above |
Weights, fineness and mintages come from the primary records listed under Sources; melt is computed from the gold or silver content.
British gold sovereign melt calculator
Melt = pure metal content × recent spot (gold $3,929.23/oz). This is the bullion floor; collectible coins can be worth far more. Federal rules restrict melting only 1¢ and 5¢ coins (31 CFR Part 82; 1942–1945 silver war nickels are exempt). This estimates intrinsic value.
What a British gold sovereign’s gold has been worth since 1968
A British gold sovereign held about $9.20 of gold in 1968, peaked near $1,229 in 2026, and its metal is worth $925 today. That is melt only; a scarce date or high grade can carry a collector premium on top.
British gold sovereign melt value by decade
Melt of one coin at each decade’s December close. The peak month was Feb 2026 at $1,229; the low was Jan 1970 at $8.24.
| Close | Gold price | Melt per coin |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 1970 | $37.38 | $8.80 |
| Dec 1980 | $589.75 | $139 |
| Dec 1990 | $386.20 | $90.91 |
| Dec 2000 | $274.45 | $64.61 |
| Dec 2010 | $1,405.50 | $331 |
| Dec 2020 | $1,887.60 | $444 |
| Nov 3, 2026 | $3,929.23 | $925 |
Prices: LBMA benchmark history, then Bullion Trading LLC 5 pm ET spot closes (monthly observations).
About the British gold sovereign
The Coinage Act of 1816 put Britain on the gold standard; the sovereign itself followed by royal proclamation and became currency on 1 July 1817 as the pound in gold. Benedetto Pistrucci’s St George and the dragon from that first coin is still used on most sovereigns today.
Sovereigns were also struck at Royal Mint branches across the Empire until 1932; a small letter on the reverse (S Sydney, M Melbourne, P Perth, C Ottawa, I Bombay, SA Pretoria) shows where.
Because the gold content never changed, sovereigns trade worldwide as bullion. The half sovereign holds half the gold (0.1177 oz).
Key dates and mintages
- Early Georgian sovereigns (1817–1830) and some Victorian shield-back dates are scarce collector coins.
- Branch-mint dates with very low mintages trade above melt.
- Modern Royal Mint sovereigns are struck every year as bullion and proof coins.
When is a British gold sovereign worth more than melt?
Common Edwardian, George V, Elizabeth II and Charles III bullion sovereigns trade a few percent above melt. Early and low-mintage branch-mint dates carry collector premiums; we do not publish collector prices.