The Royal Mint kicks off its epic ‘Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Collection’ with an all-new design for the classic Sovereign

We rarely get excited when a new Sovereign coin drops, just as we don’t when the annual Maple Leaf, Philharmonic or American Eagle release comes around, but occasionally, the Royal Mint does something to commemorate a royal event, and 2022 is one such time. Normally carrying that beautiful St George slaying the Dragon by Benedetto Pistrucci, designs that deviate from that are very highly sought after, and that’s only happened on five special occasions, the last in 2017 for the coin’s 200th anniversary.

Next year is a big one in royal terms, with Queen Elizabeth II celebrating her Platinum Jubilee, a staggering 70 years on the throne of the United Kingdom, a record that may never be broken (unless Price Charles hits 150 years of age!). The Royal Mint is initiating a special programme to celebrate, including a 50 pence coin with a royal theme for the first time, and coins with a new effigy. This new Sovereign is the first.

Long time Royal Mint designer, Timothy Noad, was given the task of producing the artwork for the 2022 coin, his third Sovereign this century, and rather than remix the St George motif, has gone with the Royal Arms instead. Adopted in 1837, it’s always been an impressive piece of heraldry, and it does look good on the Sovereign. It isn’t an adventurous design, but we wouldn’t really expect that on an icon like this.

There are the usual five sizes, called quarter, half, sovereign, double, and five, obviously based on their relationship to the standard 7.78 gram coin. Just the standard and half formats are available for individual purchase at present, with the others tucked into sets containing three, four or five coins. Prices range from £315.00 to £4’795.00. None of the sets have mintages of more than 1,000, although the two individually packed coins are more accessible. All are available to buy later today directly from the Royal Mint, and with the renaissance in gold sales they’ve been experiencing over the last few years, and the rarity of all-new Sovereign designs, we’re going to predict this release will be a very popular one.

PRESS RELEASE

To mark Britain’s longest serving monarch, the 2022 Sovereign will feature a new interpretation of the Royal Coat of Arms created by esteemed artist Timothy Noad. The Sovereign is famous for its depiction of St George and the Dragon by Benedetto Pistrucci, and changes to the design are reserved for special moments in history such as the Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilees.

The 2022 Sovereign is the first coin revealed in The Royal Mint’s Platinum Jubilee collection and is expected to be extremely sought after by collectors. It will be followed by range featuring a new, unique obverse portrait of Her Majesty and the first UK 50p coin to celebrate a royal event.

Clare Maclennan, Divisional Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said: “We are delighted to unveil the 2022 Sovereign as the first coin celebrating Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Sovereign is one of The Royal Mint’s flagship coins and has celebrated royal achievements throughout the centuries. As such, it was fitting to include the Royal Coat of Arms on the 2022 coin – celebrating Britain’s longest serving monarch with an original design.”

Timothy Noad, Designer of the 2022 Platinum Jubilee Sovereign said, “It’s a huge privilege to be chosen three times to design reverses for The Sovereign. The first time was 20 years ago, for Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee of 2002, and the second was the first new St George and the dragon since Pistrucci’s iconic design, in 2005. I’m very proud to be making it a hat-trick!”

In 1489, Henry VII ordered a ‘new money of gold’ that would serve to symbolise the might of the Tudor dynasty. That large gold coin was The Sovereign and it has since evolved to become one of the world’s most distinctive and recognisable coins. More than 500 years since its inception, the ‘chief coin of the world’ still shares a close relationship with the Crown and has become a flagship coin for The Royal Mint.