The 2026 Full Sovereign from The Royal Mint returns Britain's best-known gold coin to its traditional appearance, struck from 7.98 grams of 22 carat gold. It carries a £1 face value and full legal tender status in the United Kingdom, and its fine gold content of 7.322 grams makes it one of the world's most widely recognised and traded coins. This issue is significant for another reason: it marks the Sovereign's return to a yellow gold alloy after 25 years of the rose gold composition used since 2000.
The obverse carries Martin Jennings' official coinage portrait of King Charles III, circled by the inscription CHARLES III · DEI · GRA · REX · FID · DEF, and now includes a new latent image security device that shifts between the Tudor Crown, the King's royal cypher and the Tudor Rose depending on the angle of view. The reverse keeps Benedetto Pistrucci's depiction of St George slaying the dragon, a design first used on the Sovereign over two centuries ago, updated with new micro-text reading HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE, the motto of the Order of the Garter. The coin has a milled edge and measures 22.05mm across.
The latent image on the obverse and the micro-text on the reverse work together as built-in authentication features, making the 2026 issue the most secure Sovereign The Royal Mint has produced to date.
The Sovereign has been struck almost continuously since 1817, and The Royal Mint's return to the classic yellow gold alloy this year reconnects it with Sovereigns from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. It suits collectors tracking the Sovereign's annual design changes as much as buyers looking to add recognised, investment-grade gold to a physical holding.
Weight - 7.99 grams
Metal - Gold
Purity - 916.70
Type - Coins
Sell your 2026 Full Gold Sovereign Coin in Certified Packaging back to us. Just call us on 055 889 4600 and arrange an
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