The Sovereign is one of the world’s most famous and respected coins, first introduced in the 15th Century by Henry VII. Minting of the Sovereign ceased under James I but, 200 years later, the Sovereign was reborn during the Great Recoinage of 1816 when it replaced the Guinea.

In order to ensure that the new coins featured the finest possible designs a keenly contested competition invited the most talented artists of the age to submit their best creations, with the work of two men standing above all others; Benedetto Pistrucci and William Wyon, two of the defining coin engravers of the 19th Century.