Uncirculated Quarter Sovereigns
We received our first delivery of the uncirculated quarter sovereigns in stock on Friday 27th February 2009. Unfortunately as the Royal Mint increased our prices we have had to increase ours but we are able to offer extremely competitive prices, especially on quantity deals. Please phone for prices and availability.

Gold Proof Quarter Sovereigns
Gold proof quarter sovereigns were expected to arrive in stock shortly after release on 17th February 2009, however we have now been told that we will not receive any of the proof version until at least the end of March 2009.
The issue limit is 10,000.
Although the proof sovereigns, halves, two-coin sets, and three-coin sets will be released in January 2009, the quarter sovereigns will not be released until February. As they are included in the five-coin sets, then these sets will also not be released before then.

Changes!
The reverse dies for sovereigns, half sovereigns, double sovereigns and quintuple sovereigns were remastered and recut in 2007. See our 2007 sovereigns page of our Gold Sovereigns website for more information.
For 2009, we are told that the reverse dies will revert to dies produced from masters in the Royal Mint Museum, and possibly worked on by Benedetto Pistrucci himself.

The New Old Thing
It's not often that something so new is so old. We believe the reversion to original, or near original masters should provide better definition.

Advance Orders
As in other recent years, we will be placing a large advance order for both proof and uncirculated half sovereigns. We offer them at advance order prices for a short time.

Uncirculated Bullion Version As the Royal Mint have not announced any uncirculated "bullion" issue, we presume the quarter sovereign will be issued in a proof version only, at least for this launch year..

Also Available in the Five Coin Sets...
Please see our 2009 British Gold 5 Coin Sovereign Proof Sets for further news.

According to the Royal Mint:

The Quarter Sovereign Victorian Pattern Pieces
The coinage reform in the reign of George III made no provision for a quarter-sovereign, the denomination of five shillings being satisfactorily served by the large silver crown piece. By 1853, however, there was a perceived need for a more conveniently-sized coin of five shillings and, in initial trials, attractive little quarter-sovereigns were struck as pattern pieces.

The quarter-sovereign pattern pieces of 1853 bore the lovely Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria while two different reverse designs were considered.

The first reverse design features a Crowned Royal Shield of Arms with the text 'QUARTER SOVEREIGN 1853' around the edge

The second reverse design features the text of the proposed denomination and text in the center - 'FIVE SHILLINGS 1853' whilst a crown features at the top and a thistle, rose and clover features at the bottom of the reverse.

The proposal was abandoned probably because the coin was so small it could far too easily be lost between a thumb and forefinger. There was also likely to be the problem that it would wear too fast in circulation as was indeed the case with the half sovereign.
Those exquisite Victorian trial pieces now form a treasured part of the Royal Mint collection.

Now in 2009, a quarter sovereign has been made available to collectors for the very first time. Since it takes its place in the sovereign family, Benedetto Pistrucci's St George and the dragon design features on the reverse while the obverse bears the portrait of the Queen by Ian Rank- Broadley FRBS.

COIN SPECIFICATIONS

Denomination:	Quarter Sovereign
Alloy:	0.9167 Au
Weight:	1.99g
Diameter:	13.50mm
Obverse Designer:	Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS
Reverse Designer:	Benedetto Pistrucci
Quality:	Proof Maximum Coin Mintage: 25,000
Product Issue Limit: 10,000

Issue Limits
As the last part of the Mint's table is confusing, we will clarify it by explaining that issue limit for the proof is 10,000 pieces, and for the "bullion" version 25,000 pieces.

Specifications

Denomination	Diameter	Weight	AGW*	Description
Quarter Sovereign	13.50	1.997	0.0588	St George & Dragon

Notes on Table
Weight = gross weight in grams.
*AGW = Actual intrinsic gold weight in troy ounces.

2009 Quarter Sovereigns
2009 Advance Order Prices

Please check our Standard Terms for Bullion Coins.
You may wish to use our Order Form

Postage & Packing
UK at Buyer's Risk £2.50 per order, or...
UK Fully Insured £6 per order
EU Insured Post £10 per order
USA Airmail at Buyer's Risk $10 US, or...
USA Insured Shipping $20 US
Canada Airmail at Buyer's Risk $15 Can, or...
Canada Insured Shipping via Fedex $40 Can