How to Read Sovereign Mintages
Sovereign Mintages should be read as production or published quantity figures, not as a guaranteed count of coins available today. A date with a high original mintage can be difficult to find in high grade, while a lower mintage coin can still be reasonably obtainable if many examples were saved. Mintage is one part of the picture, alongside survival rate, condition, variety, mint mark, demand and authenticity.
In the tables below, Full Sovereign refers to the standard one-pound gold Sovereign. Half Sovereign refers to the smaller denomination traditionally worth half a pound. Modern proof ranges may also include Quarter Sovereigns, Double Sovereigns, Five Sovereign Pieces and Piedfort Sovereigns, which are covered separately because they were not part of the main 1817 circulated Sovereign series in the same way.
Some entries are marked as “None issued” because no normal issue is listed for that year and denomination. Other entries are marked as “Mintage unknown” where a figure is not reliable or has not been published. For recent Royal Mint coins, the most useful public number is often a published sales figure or a maximum coin mintage. These are not always the same as the final number struck, so the modern Sovereign Mintages table labels them carefully.
| Coin | Nominal Value | Typical Weight | Typical Diameter | Metal | Relevance to Sovereign Mintages |
| Full Sovereign | £1 | 7.98g to 7.988g | 22.05mm | 22 carat gold, normally 916.7 fineness | Main modern Sovereign from 1817 |
| Half Sovereign | Historically 10 shillings, later 50p nominal equivalent | 3.99g | 19.30mm | 22 carat gold | Issued alongside many Full Sovereign dates |
| Quarter Sovereign | 25p nominal equivalent | 2.00g | 13.50mm | 22 carat gold | Modern collector size, introduced in the 2000s |
| Double Sovereign | £2 | 15.98g | 28.40mm | 22 carat gold | Often appears in proof and special sets |
| Five Sovereign Piece | £5 | 39.94g | 36.02mm | 22 carat gold | Large proof or commemorative Sovereign-family coin |
Sovereign Mintages by Mint Location and Mint Mark
Sovereign Mintages become much more useful when you understand mint marks. London Sovereigns normally have no branch mint letter, while overseas mint marks were added to show where the coin was struck. A date such as 1911 can exist from London, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Ottawa, and each mint can have a different mintage, demand level and collector value.
The overseas mint story also explains why many late Victorian, Edwardian and George V Sovereigns were produced far from London. Gold discoveries in Australia, imperial trade requirements, wartime production needs and South African gold output all shaped the Sovereign Mintages seen in the tables.
| Mint | Mint Mark | Sovereign Production Period | Collector Notes |
| London | No mint mark on most issues | 1817 onwards, with breaks | Main Royal Mint production. Modern production moved from London to Llantrisant in South Wales. |
| Sydney, Australia | S | 1855 to 1926 | The first overseas branch mint to strike Sovereigns. Important for Australian gold rush era collectors. |
| Melbourne, Australia | M | 1872 to 1931 | High-volume branch mint with many Queen Victoria, Edward VII and George V Sovereigns. |
| Perth, Australia | P | 1899 to 1931 | Opened close to western Australian gold fields. Perth Sovereigns are heavily collected by mint mark. |
| Ottawa, Canada | C | 1908 to 1919 | Low-output Canadian Sovereigns, especially the 1908-C issue. |
| Bombay / Mumbai, India | I | 1918 | A one-year Sovereign issue created during the First World War. |
| Pretoria, South Africa | SA | 1923 to 1932 | Became the dominant branch mint for late George V Sovereigns. |
London and Llantrisant: most early modern Sovereigns were struck by the Royal Mint in London. In the twentieth century, production moved to Llantrisant in South Wales. Modern Sovereign Mintages may therefore be listed as Royal Mint or UK production rather than a branch mint letter.
Sydney Sovereigns: Sydney was the first overseas branch mint used for Sovereign production and is a core section of Victorian Sovereign Mintages.
Melbourne Sovereigns: Melbourne became a major Australian producer, especially during the later Queen Victoria and George V periods.
Perth Sovereigns: Perth started at the very end of Queen Victoria’s reign and is important for Edward VII and George V collectors.
Ottawa or Canada Sovereigns: Canadian Sovereigns often carry the C mint mark and include some very low mintage dates.
Bombay or India Sovereigns: the 1918-I Sovereign is a one-year branch mint issue and a key target for mint mark collectors.
Pretoria or South Africa Sovereigns: South African Sovereigns use the SA mint mark and dominate many late George V Sovereign Mintages.
Sovereigns use the SA mint mark and dominate many late George V Sovereign Mintages.
William IV Sovereign Mintages, 1831 to 1837
William IV Sovereign Mintages are popular because the reign was short and the coins sit between the Georgian and Victorian eras. William IV Sovereigns continued the shield reverse style, but with portraits of the new king. The series is compact enough for date collectors to understand, but condition and authenticity still matter.
The William IV Half Sovereign is especially interesting because Half Sovereigns were not issued in every year. The 1834 Half Sovereign appears without a matching full Sovereign issue in the table. Sovereign Mintages for this reign should be read alongside die varieties, proof issues and market demand, particularly for higher grade coins.
| Year | Full Sovereign | Half Sovereign |
| 1831 | 598,547 | None issued |
| 1832 | 3,737,065 | None issued |
| 1833 | 1,225,269 | None issued |
| 1834 | None issued | 133,899 |
| 1835 | 723,441 | 722,554 |
| 1836 * | 1,714,349 | 146,865 |
| 1837 | 1,172,984 | 160,207 |
* 1836 Half Sovereign figures are complicated by additional rare pieces associated with sixpence die use.
William IV Sovereign Mintages, 1831 to 1837
William IV Sovereign Mintages are popular because the reign was short and the coins sit between the Georgian and Victorian eras. William IV Sovereigns continued the shield reverse style, but with portraits of the new king. The series is compact enough for date collectors to understand, but condition and authenticity still matter.
The William IV Half Sovereign is especially interesting because Half Sovereigns were not issued in every year. The 1834 Half Sovereign appears without a matching full Sovereign issue in the table. Sovereign Mintages for this reign should be read alongside die varieties, proof issues and market demand, particularly for higher grade coins.
| Year | Full Sovereign | Half Sovereign |
| 1831 | 598,547 | None issued |
| 1832 | 3,737,065 | None issued |
| 1833 | 1,225,269 | None issued |
| 1834 | None issued | 133,899 |
| 1835 | 723,441 | 722,554 |
| 1836 * | 1,714,349 | 146,865 |
| 1837 | 1,172,984 | 160,207 |
* 1836 Half Sovereign figures are complicated by additional rare pieces associated with sixpence die use.
Queen Victoria Sovereign Mintages, 1838 to 1901
Queen Victoria Sovereign Mintages form the largest and most varied part of the nineteenth-century series. Victoria’s reign includes Young Head Shield Back Sovereigns, Young Head St George Sovereigns, Jubilee Head Sovereigns and Old Head or Veiled Head Sovereigns. It also includes the expansion of overseas minting in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
This is where Sovereign Mintages become especially useful. A Queen Victoria Sovereign can be described by date, portrait, reverse and mint mark. A Victoria Young Head Sovereign from London, a Sydney mint Shield Back Sovereign and a Melbourne mint Jubilee Head Sovereign can all behave differently in the market. The tables below split the reign into practical collector periods.
Victoria Young Head London Sovereign Mintages, 1838 to 1854
The early Victorian Sovereign is strongly associated with the Young Head portrait. The shield reverse and later St George reverse varieties are both collected. The 1841 full Sovereign is one of the more notable lower mintage early Victorian dates, while the early Half Sovereign figures also attract collectors building type sets.
| Year | London Full Sovereign | London Half Sovereign |
| 1838 | 2,718,694 | 273,341 |
| 1839 | 503,695 | None issued |
| 1840 | None issued | None issued |
| 1841 | 124,054 | 508,835 |
| 1842 | 4,865,375 | 2,223,352 |
| 1843 | 5,981,968 | 1,251,762 |
| 1844 | 3,000,445 | 1,127,007 |
| 1845 | 3,800,845 | 887,526 |
| 1846 | 3,802,947 | 1,063,928 |
| 1847 | 4,667,126 | 928,636 |
| 1848 | 2,246,701 | 410,595 |
| 1849 | 1,755,399 | 845,112 |
| 1850 | 1,402,039 | 179,595 |
| 1851 | 4,013,624 | 773,575 |
| 1852 | 8,053,435 | 1,377,671 |
| 1853 | 10,597,993 | 2,708,796 |
| 1854 | 3,589,611 | 1,125,144 |
Sydney Sovereign Mintages, 1855 to 1871
Sydney Sovereign Mintages begin in 1855. The Sydney Mint allowed Australian gold to be refined and coined closer to where it was mined, which changed the scale and geography of British gold coin production. Sydney Sovereigns can carry strong collector demand, particularly where date, type and grade combine well.
| Year | London Full Sovereign | London Half Sovereign | Sydney Full Sovereign |
| 1855 | 8,448,482 | 1,120,362 | 502,000 |
| 1856 | 4,806,160 | 2,391,909 | 981,000 |
| 1857 | 4,495,748 | 728,223 | 499,000 |
| 1858 | 803,234 | 855,578 | 1,101,500 |
| 1859 | 1,547,603 | 2,203,813 | 1,050,500 |
| 1860 | 2,555,958 | 1,131,500 | 1,573,500 |
| 1861 | 7,624,736 | 1,130,867 | 1,626,000 |
| 1862 | 7,836,413 | Mintage unknown | 2,477,500 |
| 1863 | 5,921,669 | 1,571,574 | 1,255,500 |
| 1864 | 8,656,353 | 1,758,490 | 2,698,500 |
| 1865 | 1,450,238 | 1,834,750 | 2,130,500 |
| 1866 | 4,047,288 | 2,058,776 | 2,911,000 |
| 1867 | None issued | 992,795 | 2,370,000 |
| 1868 | 1,653,384 | None issued | 2,319,000 |
| 1869 * | 6,441,322 | 1,861,764 | Mintage unknown |
| 1870 | 2,189,960 | 981,408 | 1,220,000 |
| 1871 | 8,767,250 | 2,217,760 | 2,814,000 |
* Sydney coins issued in 1869 were dated 1868 in the supplied historic mintage data. Treat this as a specialist note when cataloguing individual coins.
Melbourne Sovereign Mintages and Late Young Head Issues, 1872 to 1886
Melbourne Sovereign Mintages begin in 1872 and quickly become significant. This period also includes the very low 1879 London full Sovereign figure of 20,013, one of the most searched Victorian Sovereign dates.
| Year | London Full | London Half | Sydney Full | Sydney Half | Melbourne Full | Melbourne Half |
| 1872 | 13,486,708 | 3,235,112 | 1,815,000 | 356,000 | 748,180 | None issued |
| 1873 | 2,368,215 | 2,003,464 | 1,478,000 | None issued | 752,199 | 165,034 |
| 1874 | 520,713 | 1,883,872 | 1,899,000 | None issued | 1,373,298 | None issued |
| 1875 | None issued | 516,240 | 2,122,000 | None issued | 1,888,405 | None issued |
| 1876 | 3,318,866 | 2,785,187 | 1,613,000 | None issued | 2,124,445 | None issued |
| 1877 | None issued | 2,197,482 | 1,590,000 | None issued | 1,487,316 | 80,016 |
| 1878 | 1,091,275 | 2,081,941 | 1,259,000 | None issued | 2,171,457 | None issued |
| 1879 | 20,013 | 35,201 | 1,366,000 | 94,000 | 2,740,594 | None issued |
| 1880 | 3,650,080 | 1,009,049 | 1,459,000 | 80,000 | 3,053,454 | None issued |
| 1881 | None issued | None issued | 1,360,000 | 62,000 | 2,324,800 | 42,009 |
| 1882 | None issued | None issued | 1,298,000 | 52,000 | 4,559,631 | 107,522 |
| 1883 | None issued | 2,807,411 | 1,108,000 | 220,000 | 2,050,450 | None issued |
| 1884 | 1,769,635 | 1,121,600 | 1,595,000 | None issued | 2,942,630 | 48,009 |
| 1885 | 717,723 | 4,533,605 | 1,486,000 | None issued | 2,967,143 | 11,003 |
| 1886 | None issued | None issued | 1,667,000 | 82,000 | 2,902,131 | 38,008 |
Victoria Jubilee Head Sovereign Mintages, 1887 to 1893
The Victoria Jubilee Head Sovereign was introduced for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee and ran for a relatively short period. Jubilee Head Sovereign Mintages are useful because the design is distinctive and easy for collectors to recognise. The Half Sovereign figures in this period, especially London Half Sovereigns, can be very high in certain years.
| Year | London Full | London Half | Sydney Full | Sydney Half | Melbourne Full | Melbourne Half |
| 1887 | 1,111,280 | 841,200 | 2,002,000 | 134,000 | 2,856,424 | 64,013 |
| 1888 | 2,777,424 | None issued | 2,187,000 | None issued | 2,830,612 | None issued |
| 1889 | 7,267,455 | None issued | 3,262,000 | 64,000 | 2,732,590 | None issued |
| 1890 | 6,529,887 | 2,243,200 | 2,808,000 | None issued | 2,473,537 | None issued |
| 1891 | 6,329,476 | 1,079,286 | 2,596,000 | 154,000 | 2,749,592 | None issued |
| 1892 | 7,104,720 | 13,680,486 | 2,837,000 | None issued | 3,488,750 | None issued |
| 1893 | None issued | 4,426,625 | 1,498,000 | None issued | 1,649,352 | 110,024 |
Victoria Jubilee Head Sovereign
Manufacturer: The Royal Mint
Pure Gold Content (Grams): 7.322
Fineness: 916.7
Dimensions: Coin 22.05mm Diameter
Victoria Old Head or Veiled Head Sovereign Mintages, 1893 to 1901
The Victoria Old Head Sovereign, also called the Veiled Head Sovereign, closes the Queen Victoria section. These coins are widely recognised and often appear alongside gold bars in bullion and collector holdings. Old Head Sovereign Mintages overlap with the last years of Sydney and Melbourne output and the start of Perth production.
| Year | London Full | London Half | Sydney Full | Sydney Half | Melbourne Full | Melbourne Half |
| 1893 | 6,898,260 | Mintage unknown | 1,346,000 | 250,000 | 1,346,000 | Mintage unknown |
| 1894 | 3,782,611 | 3,794,591 | 3,067,000 | None issued | 4,166,874 | None issued |
| 1895 | 2,285,317 | 2,869,183 | 2,758,999 | None issued | 4,165,869 | None issued |
| 1896 | 3,334,065 | 2,946,605 | 2,544,000 | None issued | 4,456,932 | 218,946 |
| 1897 | None issued | 3,568,156 | 2,532,000 | Mintage unknown | 5,130,565 | None issued |
| 1898 | 4,361,347 | 2,868,527 | 2,548,000 | None issued | 5,509,138 | None issued |
Victoria Old Head Sovereign
Manufacturer: The Royal Mint
Pure Gold Content (Grams): 7.322
Fineness: 916.7
Dimensions: Coin 22.05mm Diameter
Perth Sovereign Mintages, 1899 to 1901
Perth Sovereign Mintages start at the very end of Victoria’s reign. Perth becomes far more important in the Edward VII and George V tables, but these first Victorian Perth issues are useful for collectors who want the full branch mint story.
| Year | London Full | London Half | Sydney Full | Sydney Half | Melbourne Full | Melbourne Half | Perth Full | Perth Half |
| 1899 | 7,515,978 | 3,361,881 | 3,259,000 | None issued | 5,579,157 | 97,221 | 690,992 | None issued |
| 1900 | 10,846,741 | 4,307,372 | 3,586,000 | 260,000 | 4,305,904 | 112,920 | 1,886,089 | 119,376 |
| 1901 | 1,578,948 | 2,037,664 | 3,012,000 | None issued | 3,987,701 | None issued | 2,889,333 | None issued |
Edward VII Sovereign Mintages, 1902 to 1910
Edward VII Sovereign Mintages are easier to follow than Victoria’s because the king had one main portrait type on Sovereigns. However, the branch mint picture is still broad, with London, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and, from 1908, Ottawa all appearing. The Edward VII Sovereign is a strong search term in its own right, and mint mark variants such as the 1908-C Sovereign are especially important.
These Sovereign Mintages show how large London production could be in the Edwardian period. The 1910 London full Sovereign figure is especially high, while the first Canadian Sovereign output in 1908 is tiny by comparison. That contrast is exactly why mintage tables are valuable.
Edward VII Sovereign Mintages Before Ottawa, 1902 to 1907
| Year | London Full | London Half | Sydney Full | Sydney Half | Melbourne Full | Melbourne Half | Perth Full | Perth Half |
| 1902 | 4,737,796 | 4,244,457 | 2,813,000 | 84,000 | 4,289,122 | None issued | 4,289,122 | None issued |
| 1903 | 8,888,627 | 2,522,057 | 2,806,000 | 231,000 | 3,521,780 | None issued | 4,674,783 | None issued |
| 1904 | 10,041,369 | 1,717,440 | 2,986,000 | None issued | 3,743,897 | None issued | 4,506,756 | 60,030 |
| 1905 | 5,910,403 | 3,023,993 | 2,778,000 | None issued | 3,633,838 | None issued | 4,876,193 | None issued |
| 1906 | 10,466,981 | 4,245,437 | 2,792,000 | 308,000 | 3,657,853 | 82,042 | 4,829,817 | None issued |
| 1907 | 18,458,663 | 4,233,421 | 2,539,999 | None issued | 3,332,691 | 405,034 | 4,972,289 | None issued |
Edward VII Sovereign
Manufacturer: The Royal Mint
Pure Gold Content (Grams): 7.322
Fineness: 916.7
Dimensions: Coin 22.05mm Diameter
Canada Sovereign Mintages, 1908 to 1910
Canada Sovereign Mintages begin in 1908 at Ottawa. The 1908-C Edward VII Sovereign is famous because the published output is only 633 full Sovereigns. Later Canadian Sovereigns under George V are also sought after, but the first Edward VII Canadian date is a headline mintage rarity.
| Year | London Full | London Half | Sydney Full | Sydney Half | Melbourne Full | Melbourne Half | Perth Full | Perth Half | Canada Full |
| 1908 | 11,729,006 | 3,996,992 | 2,017,000 | 538,000 | 3,080,148 | 405,034 | 4,875,617 | 24,668 | 633 |
| 1909 | 12,157,099 | 4,010,715 | 2,057,000 | None issued | 3,029,538 | 186,094 | 4,524,241 | 44,022 | 16,300 |
| 1910 | 22,379,624 | 5,023,881 | 2,135,000 | 474,000 | 3,054,547 | None issued | 4,690,625 | None issued | 28,020 |
George VI Sovereign Mintages, 1937, 1949, 1951 and 1952
George VI Sovereign Mintages are unusual because normal circulating Sovereign production had already ended. The 1937 Sovereign was produced as a proof coronation issue, while the 1949, 1951 and 1952 entries are 1925-dated George V restrikes. This means the date on the coin and the year of production need to be understood separately.
For collectors, the 1937 George VI Sovereign belongs more to proof set collecting than to normal bullion Sovereign date runs. The restrikes are common in bullion markets compared with earlier rarities, but they are essential for understanding twentieth-century Sovereign Mintages.
* 1937 coins were issued as part of a coronation proof Sovereign set. ** 1949, 1951 and 1952 entries refer to 1925-dated restrikes using the George V Sovereign type.
King Charles III Sovereign Mintages and Modern Published Figures, 2020 to 2026
This section updates the older Sovereign Mintages timeline with newer Royal Mint published sales and maximum mintage information. It includes the late Elizabeth II issues from 2020 to 2022, the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial range and King Charles III Sovereigns from the Coronation period onwards.
Modern Sovereign Mintages Note: treat 2020 to 2023 entries as Royal Mint published sales figures. Treat 2024 to 2026 entries as published maximum coin mintage or current issue information unless a final mintage or final sales table is later released.
King Charles III Sovereign
Manufacturer: The Royal Mint
Pure Gold Content (Grams): 7.322
Fineness: 916.7
Dimensions: Coin 22.05mm Diameter
Rare and Important Sovereign Mintages to Know
Low Sovereign Mintages can be exciting, but a low number on its own does not automatically make a coin valuable. A coin’s grade, eye appeal, authenticity, variety, demand and survival rate can matter as much as the original production figure. That said, certain rare Sovereigns are searched for again and again because their mintages, designs or stories stand out.
This section adds depth beyond a basic mintage list. It helps the page rank for individual coin searches as well as the main Sovereign Mintages keyword. It also gives editors natural internal subtopics for expandable content, featured snippets and FAQ answers.
Other Sovereign-Family Coins Worth Mentioning
Most historic Sovereign Mintages focus on full Sovereigns and Half Sovereigns, because those were the core circulating denominations. A more complete modern guide should also mention the Double Sovereign, Five Sovereign Piece, Quarter Sovereign, Piedfort Sovereign and Silver Sovereign. These coins can attract valuable long-tail searches, but they should not be mixed into the main full Sovereign mintage tables without explanation.
The Double Sovereign and Five Sovereign Piece are larger gold coins in the Sovereign family. They often appear in proof sets and commemorative releases. The Quarter Sovereign is a modern fractional size used for collector ranges. The Piedfort Sovereign is a thicker proof version, normally aimed at collectors rather than bullion buyers. The Silver Sovereign is a modern collector variant and should be labelled separately because traditional Sovereign Mintages are gold coin figures.
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Sovereign Mintages FAQs
What Are Sovereign Mintages?
Sovereign Mintages are the recorded or published quantities of Sovereign coins produced, sold or capped for a particular year, monarch, mint and denomination. For older coins, mintage usually means coins struck. For modern collector issues, the public figure may be a sales figure, a limited edition presentation number or a maximum coin mintage.
Which Gold Sovereign Has the Lowest Mintage?
Among normal modern circulating Sovereigns, the 1819 George III Sovereign is famous for its recorded mintage of 3,574. Some branch mint issues have even lower published figures, such as the 1908-C Edward VII Sovereign at 633 and the 1923-SA George V Sovereign at 406. Pattern coins such as the Edward VIII Sovereign are different because they were not normal circulating issues.
Are Low Sovereign Mintages Always More Valuable?
No. Sovereign Mintages are important, but value also depends on condition, survival rate, demand, variety, authenticity and the wider gold market. A common date in exceptional condition can be more valuable than a lower mintage date in poor condition.
What Is the Difference Between Mintage, Sales and Maximum Coin Mintage?
Mintage usually means how many coins were struck. Sales means how many were sold through a particular channel or programme. Maximum coin mintage is a cap in the product specification. Modern Sovereign Mintages should label these terms clearly because they are not always interchangeable.
What Do Sovereign Mint Marks Mean?
Mint marks identify the branch mint that struck a coin. Common Sovereign mint marks include S for Sydney, M for Melbourne, P for Perth, C for Ottawa in Canada, I for Bombay in India and SA for Pretoria in South Africa. London Sovereigns usually have no branch mint mark.
Which Sovereign Mintages Are Best for Collectors?
Collectors often focus on a theme, such as monarchs, rare dates, mint marks, proof Sovereigns, Half Sovereigns or special designs. Popular targets include the 1819 George III Sovereign, 1879 Victoria Sovereign, 1908-C Sovereign, 1918-I Sovereign, 1989 Proof Sovereign and 2023 Coronation Sovereign.
Are Gold Sovereigns Still Useful for Investors?
Gold Sovereigns remain popular because they are small, recognisable, widely traded and historically important. UK tax treatment can be favourable for many UK legal tender bullion coins, but tax rules can change and personal circumstances vary. Anyone making a significant decision should take qualified tax or financial advice.