Is your sovereign worth more than its gold?
Most sovereigns are worth their gold value, which is the live price in the table above. A small number are worth more, because of their date, where they were struck, or their condition.
Sovereigns were made at branch mints around the world, including Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Pretoria and Ottawa. A tiny letter on the coin, called a mint mark, shows where. Some date and mint mark pairs are scarce, and collectors pay well for them.
We check every coin before we make an offer. If one looks like it could fetch more at RWB Auctions, our sister company, we'll tell you, and our Bodmin branch can send it to auction for you.
Sovereigns on chains and in rings
We often see sovereigns set into pendants, brooches or rings. You don't need to take them out first. We'll value the coin at its gold content, and weigh and test the mount separately, which is usually 9ct gold.
Coins that have been mounted, drilled or soldered aren't worth extra to collectors, so they're paid at their gold value. That's still a good price, and the mount adds to it.
Clay country gold
In the 1740s, William Cookworthy found china clay in Cornwall. By the 1800s the hills north of St Austell had become the heart of the industry, and the white spoil heaps earned the nickname the Cornish Alps.
Clay was shipped from Charlestown, the harbour Charles Rashleigh built in the 1790s. Families who worked the pits for generations often have jewellery, watches and coins that have been passed down. If that's you, take your time. We'll explain what each piece is worth, so you can decide what to keep.
Selling from St Austell, your way
Visit us in Bodmin
About 25 minutes up the A391 and A30. Walk in any weekday, no appointment needed.
Sell by post
Post your gold from St Austell. We weigh it on CCTV and pay within 24 hours of it arriving.
If a buyer won't price a sovereign, ask why
A sovereign is the easiest gold item in the world to price. Every full sovereign holds the same 7.98g of 22ct gold, so there's nothing to guess.
That means any gold buyer could put a live sovereign price on their website in minutes. Some choose not to, and say every item needs a personal valuation instead. For jewellery that can be fair. For a standard sovereign, it means you only find out the price once you've handed it over.
Today's sovereign numbers, in full
A full sovereign's gold is worth £734.15 on the live market. We pay £701.36, which is 95.5% of that value. Use these figures to check any other offer you get.
Rare dates are the one exception, and we'll always tell you if yours could be worth more to a collector.
Selling gold elsewhere in Cornwall
We buy gold right across the county. If you're not in St Austell, one of these local guides may be closer to home.
Get a free valuation today
Find out what your gold and coins are worth, with no obligation to sell. Contact us for a free valuation, or call our Bodmin branch on 01208 420331.
