Description
The first commemorative design gold sovereign coins ever produced for the coronation of a British monarch.
On 6th May 2023, King Charles III becomes the first British monarch to be crowned in the 21st century. Not since 1953 have people lived through such an historic event, and many will not do so again. The world is a very different place to that of the late Elizabeth II, but one that still holds dear the longstanding traditions of ceremony and celebration. For years to come, people will ask: “Where were you when the King was crowned?”.
This is a great moment for Britain, and because of its significance, an exceptional commemorative coin series has just been announced: for the first time in over 200 years of gold sovereign history, the coronation of a British monarch is being marked by the striking of specially designed commemorative gold sovereign coins
Although there have already been sovereigns of King Charles III, for his coronation there are commemorative sovereigns which are the very first of their kind in history
Our sixty-fifth monarch, King Charles III, will undertake the sacred coronation ceremony on 6th May, 2023. This is an occasion steeped in history – William the Conqueror was the first to be crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1066, Edward I commissioned the Coronation Chair in 1300, Charles II remade the King Edward Crown for his coronation in 1661, and all three play an important role in the King’s coronation. The continuation of these traditions is in keeping with the King’s wish to “look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry”.
So too are the celebrations and activities surrounding the coronation – the street parties that bring communities together in friendship and celebration, the volunteers creating a lasting legacy from the Coronation Weekend. This is an event that will live long in the memory, and many of us will wish to anchor it with a permanent reminder.
This is why the coronation of King Charles III is being marked with special commemorative gold sovereign coins. It may surprise you to learn that whilst King Charles III is the ninth monarch for whom modern sovereign coins have been produced, he is the first to have his coronation marked by sovereigns with a special commemorative design. The new ‘Coronation Emblem’, created specifically for the King, will grace these new first-of-a-kind sovereigns.
A number of features make these new coronation sovereigns among the most important of their kind
Commemorative gold sovereign coins are issued sparingly, to mark events of major national and royal significance. The coronation of our new king is an event of incredible magnitude, and these new coins are the first of their kind to celebrate this event. However, this is just one of many features:
Our new king, Charles III, is the ninth monarch to have sovereigns bearing his portrait – but crucially, he is the very first to have specially designed sovereigns to commemorate his coronation! Since 1817 and the reign of King George III, only the definitive design has ever been used on sovereigns that appeared in the coronation years of former monarchs. For the coronation of King Charles III, however, an entirely new design, the ‘Coronation Emblem’, will feature on these new commemorative gold coins.
The Coronation Emblem pays tribute to The King’s love of the natural world and to the four countries of the United Kingdom. The design brings together the rose of England, the thistle of Scotland, the daffodil of Wales and the shamrock of Northern Ireland into the shape of the St Edward’s Crown. These are the first sovereign coins to carry the Coronation Emblem.
The obverse of these coins is significant too. The King faces the opposite direction to his mother, maintaining a tradition that dates back to the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 and the reign of the our new king’s namesake – King Charles II.
Mintages are incredibly modest given the global significance of the event, and the number of people who will want to own coins celebrating the coronation.
The first specially designed sovereign coins to celebrate a coronation
The era of the modern sovereign began in the year 1817 and since that time, a number of monarchs have had sovereigns minted in the same year as their coronation, but none of them have featured a design specially created to commemorate the coronation itself. This is probably related to the sheer number of things to do upon the accession of a new monarch, especially in the lead-up to their coronation.
However, our new monarch, King Charles III, is the first of a new century – and his coronation is the first in an era when, thanks to modern technology, more is possible. This is why he is the first British monarch ever to have a series of gold sovereigns that feature a design specially created to commemorate his coronation.
This is truly an historic moment, being celebrated by an historic first.
It’s worth noting that Charles’ own mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did not have any sovereigns at all in her coronation year. Britain was still emerging from post-war austerity and no gold coinage had been minted since the 1930’s.
Authorised by Ascension Island and approved by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Buckingham Palace, it is a wonderful tribute – the first commemorative design gold sovereign coins ever produced for the coronation of a British monarch.
Benefit from the SELL OUT GUARANTEE
The 2023 King Charles III Coronation Fractional Sovereign Set will not exceed 1,599 sets and is also subject to our new SELL OUT GUARANTEE. What this means is that availability of this set will end on 31st July 2023. At that time, any sets that are unsold will be melted down and verified to that effect.
At that point, we will issue to owners of this set a new certificate stating the final mintage which may be lower, or possibly considerably lower, than 1,599. If the mintage remains at 1,599 then this means the set sold out entirely to keen customers, and if not, you may have secured for yourself a low mintage rarity.
Either way, there will be little or no surplus of this set on the secondary market and so the set you own will be a rarity in the gold sovereign series.
