Description
In 2026 our nation celebrates 100 years since the birth of Queen Elizabeth II, our nation’s longest-reigning and much-loved monarch. Her life spanned almost a century of extraordinary change, and throughout it she remained a constant source of wisdom, warmth and unwavering dedication to service. When she sadly passed away in 2022 the nation mourned her loss: but now, with the passing of a few years, it feels appropriate to celebrate her life, and the incredible legacy of her reign.
So to mark this milestone 100th anniversary, a new series of gold sovereign coins has been released and integral to this series is the first ever one-tenth sovereign! With the recent rise in the price of gold the previous entry-level coin – the one-eighth sovereign – was starting to price itself beyond the reach of many. So, to make this new celebration of a monarch whose reign touched millions, the one-tenth sovereign has been produced so that as many people as possible may be able to own one.
The coin features an entirely new portrait of Her Late Majesty at the age of 25, as she appeared upon her accession to the throne. This has been crafted by artist Jody Clark, who also designed the last portrait of her used on British sovereigns during her reign. It is also his portrait of her son, and successor, King Charles III that appears on the obverse side of this coin – a wonderful ‘family’ connection.
These centenary coins are likely to resonate deeply with people across the United Kingdom. Just about every family has their own cherished memories of the queen – moments of unity, comfort or pride that marked her extraordinary life of service.
Although hundreds-of-thousands may want one of these new coins, sadly that cannot happen. Each coin in this series is subject to a strict limitation of mintage. The one-tenth sovereign – the most accessibly priced of all the coins – is limited to just 6,999 coins – which would mean that fewer than 1 in every 4,000 UK households can own one. Mintages of the quarter sovereign and half sovereign are even further restricted which is likely to make them incredibly highly sought-after.
Here is a snapshot of the benefits:
- The one-tenth sovereign has never been minted before, and it joins the prestigious ‘family’ of sovereign coin denominations. It’s been brought about by the dramatic increases in the world price of gold, in an attempt to make the entry-level coin of this series accessible to more people.
- These coins feature a new portrait of the queen at the start of her reign. In place of a crown, she wears a wreath of roses, as well as the familiar pearl jewellery that became synonymous with her style of understated elegance. This portrait is the work of designer Jody Clark, who also created the portrait of her son, and successor, King Charles III on the obverse side.
- The centenary of the late queen’s birth is a significant moment for national commemoration, especially now that the passage of time allows us to celebrate her life more fully. As we celebrate the milestone anniversaries of all our greatest monarchs, it is only right that Queen Elizabeth II should take her place among them. What better way to honour the passing of ten decades than with the world’s first one tenth sovereign?
- Just 6,999 one-tenth sovereign coins have been minted, there are only 1,953 quarter and half sovereigns available – quite literally – thousands of people may not have the opportunity to own all three coins that are available to you right now, in this set!
We celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth in 1926 and so it is fitting the one-tenth sovereign should be chosen as the denomination struck for this centenary.
The event will also be marked by national events. There will be the creation of a new two-acre memorial garden in London’s Regent’s Park, featuring wildlife habitats and the late queen’s favourite flowers. There will also be a major fashion exhibition at Buckingham Palace called ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’. Through her life and reign, Queen Elizabeth II dressed with understated elegance, and this exhibition will display around 200 items of her clothing and accessories to highlight this.
In 2022, when the queen sadly passed away, the nation was gripped by grief which was followed by sympathy for our new king who had just lost his mother. Now, four years on, we are able to celebrate her life and reign with the enthusiasm it deserves, and this is why these coins are certain to be incredibly popular!
A new portrait of the Queen as she was at the start of her record-breaking reign
In rendering his portrait of Elizabeth II at the start of her reign, Jody Clark captures the dignity and composure of a young queen, just 25 years old, poised to face the daunting task ahead of her. In the midst of her grief at the death of her beloved father, King George VI, our new queen responded to her sudden and unexpected situation with admirable composure, acknowledging the immense responsibilities of her new position and stating her intention to serve her people as her father had.
The portrait on the new one-tenth coin emphasises Elizabeth’s youth and fresh outlook, with roses garlanding her hair. As always in her profile portraits, she faces right, looking to the future with characteristic optimism and grace. She wears pearls around her neck, as she did throughout her reign; pearls were a consistent favourite of the late queen, and she particularly treasured those given to her by her father as wedding gift.
The legend on the coin reads: MY WHOLE LIFE • SHALL BE DEVOTED TO YOUR SERVICE, echoing the words with which she addressed the Commonwealth on her 21st birthday.
The larger coins – quarter sovereign and half sovereign – feature this portrait along with an oak-sprig garland, and the large number ‘100’ below her portrait.
The design of these new coins, celebrating the centenary of Elizabeth II’s birth, are likely to hold great meaning for tens of thousands of households throughout Britain and beyond.
Authorised by Tristan Da Cunha and approved by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Buckingham Palace, it is a wonderful way to mark this milestone 100th anniversary.
