By Rocco Clayfield, trading as GoldPaid; the business incorporated as GOLDPAID LTD (company 17382540) on 5 August 2026 · Published · updated
What a full gold sovereign actually is
A full British gold sovereign is a 22 carat coin weighing 7.988 grams in total and containing 7.3224 grams of fine gold, close enough to a quarter of a troy ounce that most dealers quote sovereigns at 0.2354 troy ounce of fine gold. The remaining mass is copper alloy, which is why sovereigns wear well in circulation and ring brighter than a soft 24 carat coin when tapped. If you already know what you hold, the service page to sell sovereign coins covers the label, the cover level and the paperwork.
Modern sovereigns have been struck on and off since 1817. The portrait on the obverse tells you which monarch reigned when the coin was made: George III, George IV, William IV, Victoria (young head, jubilee head and old head), Edward VII, George V, George VI, Elizabeth II and now Charles III. The reverse usually shows St George slaying the dragon, designed originally by Benedetto Pistrucci.
Not sure how any of this applies to your own items? Send a photo on WhatsApp and ask, call 07944 014111 (8am to 9pm, 7 days a week), or ask for a free prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label. Whichever you pick: nothing is posted until you decide, your parcel is tracked and signed for, the written offer follows the XRF assay, the return is free if you decline, and we aim to pay by Faster Payments within one working hour of your acceptance.
Bullion value versus numismatic premium
Every sovereign carries a base value tied to the live precious-metal market for its gold content. On top of that, certain dates and mint marks attract a numismatic premium because collectors compete for them. A common late-Elizabeth II sovereign trades close to bullion. A scarcer Victoria young-head shield-back, a low-mintage Sydney or Melbourne mint mark, or a proof-condition Edward VII can carry a premium that materially changes its value.
Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market. For sovereigns that means weight, purity, mint year, mint mark, condition grade and whether the coin sits in its original presentation case.
How to post sovereigns safely
Sovereigns are small, dense and sit happily in a padded jiffy bag inside a rigid outer envelope. They do not need fancy packaging, but they do need to stop moving. A coin loose in a box rattles, and a rattling parcel attracts attention.
- WhatsApp clear photos to 07944 014111, both sides of each coin and any presentation cases.
- Receive our reply and a prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label by email.
- Wrap each sovereign in a coin flip or a small zip bag so the surfaces never touch each other.
- Pad the package so nothing slides around when you shake it.
- Take the parcel to your local Post Office counter and ask for the tracking receipt.
- Forward the tracking number on WhatsApp so we both watch the same parcel.
What XRF testing can and cannot tell us
On arrival every sovereign is tested with an XRF analyser. The reading confirms the alloy composition and rules out clever fakes that look right on a kitchen scale. XRF tells us with confidence that the metal is 22 carat gold with the copper alloy ratio a genuine sovereign should have, and the scale confirms the expected mass.
What XRF cannot tell us is rarity. The analyser does not know whether a coin is a low-mintage Sydney 1881 or a common 1980 proof, which is why a photo of each coin on WhatsApp is the right first step.
When to send to a postal buyer and when to use auction
For ordinary modern sovereigns in circulated condition, a postal bullion-led buyer is usually faster and cheaper than auction once you account for commission, listing fees and the wait for a sale day. You get a written valuation, and once you accept we aim to pay within one working hour.
For exceptional pieces, proof sovereigns with their original Royal Mint case and certificate, scarce Victoria branch-mint sovereigns or a long pre-1900 set in matching grade, a specialist numismatic auction can sometimes raise more, because collectors bid each other up. If you are unsure where your coins sit, sovereign value by year sets out the dates worth a second look, or send photos first.
Postal cover, declining and payment
Your parcel travels on Royal Mail Special Delivery, and Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. If you are posting a collection worth more than that figure, message us before you ship. We will split the parcel across as many labels as it needs, so every coin travels under cover.
Once you accept a written valuation, we aim to send payment by Faster Payments bank transfer within one working hour. If you decline, the parcel comes back by Royal Mail Special Delivery and we pay the return postage ourselves. We do not charge a fee for that and we do not argue about it.