Great Britain Edwardian Gold Sovereign of 1902: Sangs PROOF 62

Great Britain Edwardian Gold Sovereign of 1902: Sangs PROOF 62

Proof sovereigns were not always as common as they are today. The custom was to only release a proof sovereign in the first or coronation year of the new monarch. In 1902, Edward VII added an exceptional twist in that the 1902 gold sovereign would have a matte finish, making the coin both rare and extremely desirable.

To put into context how rare the 1902 Matt Proof Sovereign is you only need to compare the mintage of the other 1902 gold sovereigns. There were 4.7 million standard 1902 gold sovereigns minted at the Royal Mint in London (no mint mark); 4.3 million at the Melbourne Mint (mint marked 'M'); 3.3 million at the Perth Mint (mint marked 'P'); and 2.8 million at the Sydney Mint (mint marked 'S').

The 1902 Matte Proof Sovereign mintage: a fraction over 15 000.

They are truly scarce and catalogues at double the value of the normal issues.