Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
British half sovereign coin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The half sovereign was first introduced in 1544 under Henry VIII. It was a gold coin valued at ten shillings or 120 pre-decimal pennies. After 1604, the issue of half sovereigns, along with sovereigns, was discontinued until 1817 following a major revision of British coinage. Production continued until 1926 and, apart from special issues for coronation years, was not restarted until 1980. It was also used extensively in Australia, until 1933.
Modern half sovereigns, from 1817 onwards, have a diameter of 19.30 mm, a weight of 3.99 g, are made of 22 carat (91.666%) gold alloy, and contain 0.1177 troy ounces (3.7 g) of gold. The reverse side, featuring St. George slaying a dragon, was designed by Benedetto Pistrucci, whose initials appear to the right of the date.
- In 1843, while performing a conjuring trick for the amusement of his children, Isambard Kingdom Brunel accidentally inhaled a half-sovereign coin, which became lodged in his windpipe. A special pair of forceps failed to remove it, as did a machine devised by Brunel himself to shake it loose. Brunel eventually coughed up the coin.
| Preceded by Unknown |
Half Pound 1544–1926 |
Succeeded by Ten shilling note |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Current circulation | One penny · Two pence · Five pence · Ten pence · Twenty pence · Fifty pence · One pound · Two pounds |
| Commemorative and bullion | Twenty-five pence · Five pounds · Maundy money · Half sovereign · Sovereign · Britannia |
| Withdrawn (decimal) | Half penny |
| Withdrawn (pre-decimal, selected coins) |
Farthing · Halfpenny · Penny · Threepence · Sixpence · One shilling · Two shillings · Half crown · Crown · Guinea |
| See also | Pound sterling · Coins of the pound sterling · Scottish coinage · Coins of Ireland |
 This coin-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- British Coins - Free information about British coins. Includes an online forum.