The Queen is 95 years old and the Royal Mint issues a privy mark Sovereign for 2021 with 95 reeds on the edge

A special year for the Royal Mint’s ultra-iconic Sovereign, as the 2021 coin will be customised to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 95th birthday. In most respects the design is unchanged. Benedetto Pistrucci’s terrific ‘St George & the Dragon’ design is front and centre. First appearing in 1821 in this form (the 2017 Sovereign used the 1817-1820 version), the widespread use of this coin through Victorian times has cemented its status at the top of the head for classics.

The two changes for the 2021 issue are pretty subtle, with one of them applying to only a solitary variant. The most obvious addition is the privy mark. A crown with the number 95 within it is a very clear indicator of what the coin is about. This is struck into all five sizes of the proof range. The second addition is more subtle and applies only to the single Sovereign weight. For this coin the number of reeds around the edge has been changed to match that same pivotal number, 95. There’s such a variety of sizes elsewhere in the range that doing this for all of them was either too difficult, or too disruptive.

Sovereign collectors will be familiar with the formats on offer. A Quarter, Half, Full, Double and Five Sovereign variants make up the range, each living up to its name using the base coins weight of 7.98 grams. Struck in the usual copper-rich 0.9167 (22kt) gold,, the selection here encompases the proof range. There’s a set comprised of all five sizes (500 mintage, £4785), one made up of the four smallest sizes (450, £2050), and one with the three smallest (750, £1015). The half (1500, £315) and full Sovereigns (7995, £580) are also available individually. As you’d expect, all are well presented.

Royal Mint gold coin sales have undergone a big rennaissance over the last couple of years, with some very brisk sales. We’re predicting these will be popular, even at the traditionally high prices that characterise Royal Mint issues. Available now. Please use our banner link at the bottom of this article if you’re buying as AgAuNEWS will get a small commission at no cost to you.

PRESS RELEASE

As the original maker of UK coins, The Royal Mint has launched its eagerly anticipated 2021 Sovereign Collection marking Her Majesty the Queen’s 95^th Birthday. Reborn in 1817, the consistent use of Pistrucci’s design has made the Sovereign accepted and trusted worldwide. Whilst also being an instantly recognisable coin, it has come to be a favourite amongst coin collectors across the globe.

The Sovereign has marked a number of royal occasions and milestones over the years, and this year’s edition features two special elements in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s 95th birthday.

This year’s coin has 95 mils, which is a change from the number normally used on sovereigns of Elizabeth II – each symbolising a year of The Queen’s life. Another exception is 1957 and sovereigns of this year have significantly more mils than those struck after this date. The 2021 Sovereign will also feature a unique privy mark – a Royal Crown with 95 entwined. The 2021 Sovereign retains Pistrucci’s St George design, which is revered as one of the greatest works of numismatic art. The Royal Mint ensures that each Sovereign is struck to the proof standard that built the Sovereign’s iconic reputation.

Clare Maclennan, Divisional Director of the Consumer Division at The Royal Mint said, “The launch of the annual Sovereign Collection is eagerly anticipated amongst coin collectors and this year we mark a very special royal occasion as we celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s 95^th Birthday.

“To celebrate this remarkable milestone, the 2021 Sovereign will include two extra special elements – a unique privy mark and a change to the milled edge of the coin. The unique privy mark represents the royal cypher crown with the number ‘95’ to mark the celebration of Her Majesty’s 95th birthday. As a classic symbol of royalty, the crown makes a fitting choice for this extraordinary moment in British royal history.”

Born on 21 April 1926, Her Majesty The Queen celebrates her 95th birthday in 2021. Currently the world’s longest reigning head of state and the longest reigning monarch in British history, she has overseen a period of extraordinary change. Throughout, The Sovereign has remained a symbol of quality and stability.

During the 19^th century the Sovereign was known as ‘the chief coin of the world’, while its role has changed over the years that followed, it maintains a global reputation for accuracy, reliability and quality.