2020 Sovereign and Half Sovereign Gift Boxed

A 2020 Sovereign and a 2020 Half Sovereign presented in an attractive oak gift box.

Sovereign coins produced from 2016 onwards bear the fifth and most current portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It was designed by a Royal Mint product designer, Jody Clark.

Like the Queen's fourth portrait borrows from her second, so does the fifth from the third - both feature the King George IV State Diadem (worn during the annual State Opening of Parliament) and Diamond Jubilee drop pearl earrings. The latin accompanying the Queen reads DEI GRA REGINA FID DEF. This is 'Dei Gratia Regina' or 'By the Grace of God, Queen'. FID DEF stands for 'Fidei Defensatrix' which means 'Defender of the Faith'; a nod to her status as Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

The reverse of the coin portrays St George on a horse slaying a dragon, as used on the very first Sovereign.

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Gold Sovereign 2020:

The full-size Sovereign contains 7.322g of fine gold, with the coin weighing 7.98g. This makes it 22-carat, with the Royal Mint producing Sovereigns to the traditional specifications. This uses 2 parts of copper to add extra resistance to damage, and is the same principle used with the South African Krugerrand. Coin production has improved markedly over the years, so this is no longer necessary, but tradition and continuity are popular amongst collectors.

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Half Sovereign 2020:

The Half Sovereign weighs 3.99g and of that 3.6575g is fine gold. Both types of Sovereign have been produced since 1817, and they have always been 22-carat.