Gold sovereign
A gold sovereign is a British gold coin, first issued in 1489 for Henry VII, generally with a value of twenty shillings or one pound. The name sovereign related to the majestic and impressive size and portraiture of the coin, the earliest of which showed the king facing, seated on a throne while the reverse shows the Royal coat of arms on a shield surrounded by a Tudor double rose.Sovereigns were discontinued after 1604, being replaced by unitess, and later by laurelss, and then guineas. Production of sovereigns restarted in 1817, their reverse design being a portrayal of Saint George killing a dragon, engraved by Benedetto Pistrucci. This same design is still in use on British gold sovereigns, although different reverse designs have been used during the reigns of William IV, Victoria, George IV and Elizabeth II.
Half sovereigns, double sovereigns, and five pound (quintuple sovereigns?) coins were also produced.
