Description
The Honorary Chairman of Hattons of London, The Rt. Hon Daniel Finch-Hatton, 17th Earl of Winchilsea and 12th Earl of Nottingham, has named the Britons he feels are among our nation’s most inspiring. Surveying the top 20 names from the BBC Poll from 2002, he has chosen Arthur Wellesley as one of our nations most inspiring Britons.
The £50 sovereign coin celebrates Arthur Wellersley, the Duke of Wellington – Soldier and Statesman – a reminder of his victory at Waterloo in 1815.
One of our most inspiring figures from our nation’s history has been celebrated on a £50 sovereign coin in 99.9% purity
You know sovereign coins are rarely minted in anything other than 22 carat gold. It takes an event of considerable importance to occasion them being minted in 24 carat purity.
For example, in the last decade there have been sovereign coins minted from 24 carat gold for Queen Elizabeth II’s 95th Birthday in 2021, the bicentenary of Queen Victoria’s birth in 2019. This should give you an idea of how important these events need to be to justify being minted in pure 24 carat gold.
The reason is that the sovereign, as a coin, has historically been minted in 22 carat gold. The step up to 24 carat gold, which is 99.9% purity, needs to be suitably justified.
Authorised by Tristan Da Cunha and approved by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Buckingham Palace, it is a wonderful commemoration of one of our most inspiring britons.