"Two hundred years on, the sovereign is still the easiest gold coin in Britain to buy — and to sell."
Sell sovereigns in St Helens.
Every reign, every condition, mounted or loose, single coins or full albums. Walk in to Cash Generator on Church Street and we'll value them in front of you.
A short history of the sovereign — and what each reign is worth now
Sovereigns of different periods don't all carry the same value. Here's what we look for, era by era.
St George reverse introduced by Pistrucci. Scarce and almost always carries a collector premium.
Laureate and bare-head varieties. Conditional grades drive a wide value range.
Short reign means a small mintage. Generally desirable above bullion.
Three head types: young, jubilee, old. Young-head shield reverses are particularly sought after.
Common dates trade close to bullion; branch-mint issues (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth) can be worth more.
Most common in circulation today. Look for the rare 1917 London mint.
Modern bullion sovereigns. Valued primarily on gold content unless proof or low-mintage.
What about half sovereigns?
Half sovereigns share the same alloy and design tradition as their bigger sibling — 3.99g total, 3.66g pure gold. They were everyday coinage in Victorian and Edwardian Britain, so they're plentiful, but the same era-and-condition logic applies. Quarter sovereigns (introduced under Elizabeth II in 2009) are smaller still and almost always valued on bullion.
What drives the offer
- • Live spot gold per troy ounce on the day
- • Date and mintmark — particularly pre-1900 issues
- • Condition, including any wear, scratches or mounting damage
- • Whether the coin is in original Royal Mint packaging (proofs)
- • Any accompanying certificates of authenticity
Sovereign-seller questions
Is my sovereign 22-carat gold?
Yes — every full and half sovereign struck since 1817 has been .9167 fine (22-carat). The full sovereign weighs 7.98g total with 7.32g of pure gold; the half sovereign is exactly half.
Are old sovereigns worth more than new ones?
Often, yes. Pre-1900 sovereigns and certain branch-mint issues can carry a meaningful premium over their gold content, especially in higher grades. Common-date 20th-century sovereigns trade close to bullion.
Should I sell a sovereign mounted in a ring or pendant?
We can value the coin and the mount separately and offer on either, both, or the gold weight as scrap if the mount has damaged the coin's collectable value. The decision is yours.
Can I sell a single sovereign or only collections?
Single coins are welcome. We value individual sovereigns just as carefully as full collections — same in-front-of-you process, same honest figure.
Bring your sovereigns to Church Street.
Inside Cash Generator, 41 Church Street, St Helens, WA10 1AX
See also our wider coin guide, krugerrands and bullion bars.
Visit St Helens Gold
St Helens Gold
Located inside Cash Generator St Helens
No appointment needed — just walk in any day for a free valuation and same-day payment for your gold.
"Best price in town and paid in cash within 15 minutes. So easy."
"Friendly, fair and quick. Will definitely be back."
"Got more than I expected for my old chain — highly recommend."