Understanding the Quarter Sovereign Coin: A Comprehensive Guide

The quarter sovereign coin is a popular investment option for many, but understanding its intricacies can be a challenge. It's a smaller version of the full sovereign coin, weighing in at 7.31 grams.

The quarter sovereign coin is made from 22-carat gold, which is 91.6% pure gold. This makes it a highly sought-after collector's item and a valuable addition to any investment portfolio.

A quarter sovereign coin is minted by the Royal Mint in the UK, with each coin featuring the iconic St. George and the Dragon design. This design has been a staple of British coinage for centuries, and its enduring popularity is a testament to the coin's timeless appeal.

The quarter sovereign coin is also a highly divisible coin, making it an excellent choice for investors looking to buy and sell gold in smaller increments.

A Quarter Sovereign is the smallest fractional Sovereign struck by The Royal Mint, weighing in at just 1.997 grams.

These tiny British coins are made of 22 carat (916.7) gold, just like their bigger cousins.

The Quarter Sovereign was first minted in 2009 and has been issued in every year since.

They were initially available individually in proof and an uncirculated bullion finish, but now they can only be acquired in larger sets of four or five coins.

Quarter Sovereigns are a quarter of the weight of a full Sovereign, which is a significant difference in size and value.

The Quarter Sovereign has a rich history that dates back to the early 19th century. Introduced in 1817, it was the first gold coin to be minted by the Royal Mint in the UK.

The Quarter Sovereign was designed to be a smaller version of the Sovereign, which was a popular gold coin at the time. It was also known as the "Quarter Guinea" and was initially worth 1/4 of a Sovereign.

The coin was made from 22-carat gold, which was a high standard for coins at the time. This made the Quarter Sovereign a valuable and sought-after coin among collectors and investors.

The Victorian pattern coin was a proposed coin denomination that was considered in 1853. It was valued at a quarter sovereign, or five shillings.

In 1853, the Royal Mint was struggling to meet the demand for both gold and silver coins, and the government gave priority to gold coinage. This was partly due to the heavy demand for gold, which was explained by Chancellor William Gladstone to the House of Commons on March 7, 1853.

The proposed quarter sovereign coin was seen as an alternative to higher-value silver coins, but it would have been very expensive to strike. The Master of the Mint, Sir John Herschel, estimated that gold would be lost to the public at fifteen times the rate for the same value of sovereigns.

The quarter sovereign coin would have been of very small size, about the same size as an American one-dollar gold coin. This small size made it easy to lose, and the light weight made it difficult to detect counterfeits.

Striking of sovereigns for circulation ended by 1932, with most issues after 1914 being coined in Australia and South Africa due to different economic conditions.

The Royal Mint started striking sovereigns for sale to collectors in 1979, and the following year, it also coined the half sovereign, double sovereign, and five-pound piece for collector sale.

These four denominations continued to be issued in most years, sold at a premium to their gold value. This practice has been ongoing since 1980.

The Royal Mint started issuing Britannia gold issues in 1987, which were bullion pieces meant to compete with other nations' coins.

The quarter sovereign has a design that's a smaller version of the sovereign range, featuring the reigning monarch on the obverse.

Initially, an obverse designed by Ian Rank-Broadley was used, but beginning with some 2015 issues, an obverse portrait of Elizabeth by Jody Clark was used. In 2016, some coins bore a different portrait of the queen by James Butler.

The reverse design has varied over the years, with Benedetto Pistrucci's depiction of Saint George and the Dragon being the most common, first appearing on the sovereign in 1817. For Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, another interpretation of the George and Dragon by Paul Day was used.

In 2022, the Royal Mint struck quarter sovereigns with a reverse design by Noad showing an interpretation of the Royal Arms, marking the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Later in the year, memorial coins were issued featuring the first coinage portrait of Elizabeth's successor, Charles III, by Martin Jennings.

Here are the different obverse portraits used on the quarter sovereign:

The reverse design has also changed over the years, with Pistrucci's George and Dragon being used in most years, but also other designs like the Royal Arms by Clark in 2022 and 2023.

The quarter sovereign has been sold as a collector's coin since 2009, typically in proof condition, with a reported mintage of 13,495 pieces in 2009 being the only year it reached 10,000.

In 2023, the Royal Mint sold the Coronation quarter sovereign in proof condition for £235.00, and in uncirculated condition for £132.39 or £134.97, depending on the packaging used.

Both varieties of the 2022 quarter sovereign were sold by the Royal Mint as bullion pieces, as well as in proof condition, which suggests they can be valuable in their own right.

The quarter sovereign has been sold as a collector's coin, usually in proof condition, each year since 2009. The reported mintage of 13,495 pieces in 2009 is notable, as it's the only year since then that the mintage reached 10,000.

Both proof and bullion versions of the quarter sovereign were sold by the Royal Mint in 2022, and the same is true for the 2023 coronation issue and 2024. This dual approach allows collectors and investors to choose the type of coin that suits their needs.

The Royal Mint sold the Coronation quarter sovereign in proof condition for £235.00 in 2023, and in uncirculated condition for £132.39 or £134.97, depending on the packaging used. This price difference highlights the value of proof coins.

The quarter sovereign has been sold as a bullion piece, with authorised mintages of between 50,000 and 250,000 from 2009 to 2012. The actual numbers sold during this period are unreported.

Are Quarter Sovereigns Valuable?

Quarter Sovereigns can be hard to find individually, especially those issued in recent years, as they were originally offered in limited edition sets.

The Royal Mint has only been striking Quarter Sovereigns for a few years, making it a more manageable prospect to collect a complete set compared to other British gold coins.

Because Quarter Sovereigns have a lower gold content than Sovereigns or Half Sovereigns, they are generally more affordable by comparison.

Proof Quarter Sovereigns in their original presentation packaging are highly prized, as are examples that have been graded by companies like NGC, which command higher prices.

Uncirculated Quarter Sovereigns are a good option for those in the market for small gold bullion coins, but they can be hard to find due to their limited production and availability.

The Quarter Sovereign is a small but mighty coin. Introduced in 2009, these small gold Royal Mint coins are sought-after by collectors.

They're tiny, measuring just 13.50 millimetres in diameter.

The Quarter Sovereign coin is a popular collectible item, but you might have some questions about it.

What is the Quarter Sovereign coin made of? It's made of 22 carat gold, which is a high-quality gold alloy.

Can I use the Quarter Sovereign coin as regular currency? No, it's not intended for everyday use and is primarily valued for its collectibility and investment potential.

How much is a Quarter Sovereign coin worth? The value can vary depending on the condition, rarity, and demand, but it's often around £100-£200 for a standard issue coin.

Are Quarter Sovereign coins minted regularly? Yes, they're still being produced by the Royal Mint, with new designs and special editions released periodically.

Can I buy a Quarter Sovereign coin online? Yes, you can purchase them from various online retailers, including the Royal Mint's official website.

The 21st century has seen a resurgence in the popularity of gold bullion and collector's coins, including the quarter sovereign.

The Royal Mint has been issuing quarter sovereigns since 2009, adding them to their range of gold coins for collectors and investors.

In most years, the reverse of the quarter sovereign features Benedetto Pistrucci's iconic depiction of Saint George and the Dragon, which first appeared on the sovereign in 1817.

The obverse of the quarter sovereign typically shows the reigning monarch, in this case, Elizabeth II, who reigned from 1952 to 2022.

However, there have been some exceptions to this design, including a special issue in 2012 to mark Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, which featured a different interpretation of the George and Dragon by Paul Day.

The Royal Mint has also experimented with different obverse portraits, such as the one by Jody Clark used from 2015 to 2016, and a return to the original 1817 design in 2017 to mark the 200th anniversary of the modern sovereign.

In 2022, the Royal Mint struck quarter sovereigns with a new reverse design by Noad, featuring an interpretation of the Royal Arms to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.

Later that year, the Royal Mint issued memorial coins in the sovereign range, including the quarter sovereign, featuring a new interpretation of the Royal Arms by Clark and a portrait of Elizabeth II's successor, Charles III, by Martin Jennings.

The quarter sovereign has also been sold as a bullion piece, with authorised mintages ranging from 50,000 to 250,000, although the actual numbers sold are unreported.