SOVEREIGN RE-CREATES ORIGINAL PISTRUCCI DESIGN

Yesterday (26th October) the Royal Mint unveiled their bicentenary anniversary design for the iconic gold Sovereign. The Sovereign’s full story is more than 500 years old. This worldwide favorite was first issued in 1489 during the reign of King Henry VII and was struck until 1604, when it was discontinued during the reign of James I. It was again issued in the United Kingdom as part of the Great Recoinage of 1816, which reformed the gold coins in circulation from Guineas of 21 Shillings to Sovereigns of 20 Shillings. It was struck continuously thereafter until 1936, during which time it set new standards for accuracy and beauty that defined a currency. It went on to become known as “the chief coin of the world” during the 19th century, and, while its role has changed over the years that followed, it maintains a global reputation for accuracy, integrity, and beautiful design, traded widely on the global bullion markets and coveted by collectors.

A large part of the Sovereign’s charm and reputation is built on its iconic design, Benedetto Pistrucci’s neoclassical interpretation of St. George and the Dragon. First introduced in 1817, the design has remained almost constant throughout the Sovereign’s evolving story, appearing on the majority of annual issues since its debut and, more recently, replaced only on very rare occasion.

For its 200th anniversary in 2017, the reverse design returns to Pistrucci’s original “garter” design, referencing the garter encircling the field with buckle at lower left. The legend on the garter reads HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE (“Evil unto him that thinks evil of it”), which is the motto of the British chivalric Order of the Garter.

Another detail in the 1817 design that appears on the bicentenary issue is the weapon in St. George’s hand—a broken spear, the other half being embedded in the vanquished dragon. In later years, the spear was replaced with a sword. The designer’s initials, BP, are incused at lower left below the dragon; not included in the new issue are the initials WWP, which referenced William Wesley Pole, master of the mint, and were incused into the garter’s buckle.

The obverse includes the year of issue (2017) and the fifth effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II, as designed by Royal Mint engraver Jody Clark and used on all British circulation and most commemorative coins since 2015. The metallic composition—.9167 fine gold (22K)—was adopted by the South Africa Mint when it introduced its gold Krugerrand in 1967. (The Krugerrand celebrates its 50th anniversary next year.) The coin has been struck with tools that were carefully remastered from the 1817 originals.

Pistrucci created an interpretation that defied the medieval image of a knightly St. George, instead opting for a Greek interpretation: bare and muscular, not weighed down with the usual chain mail and armor. The inscription created for the Sovereign’s 1817 revival has been revisited for this celebratory anniversary edition: HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE, a Latin motto meaning “Evil unto him that thinks evil of it,” which has featured on the coat of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom for centuries.

As chief medalist, Pistrucci went on to design the portrait of King George III that appeared on the gold sovereign (as well as on the new silver Crown of 5 Shillings, among other coins and medals, many considered masterpieces during Pistrucci’s lifetime). He died in 1855 and was buried in Surrey, where his prominent gravestone cites his title as Her Majesty’s “Chief Medallist.”

To read the complete article, see:
United Kingdom: 200 Years of the Iconic Sovereign Celebrated with Re-creation of Original Pistrucci Design (http://news.coinupdate.com/united-kingdom-200-years-of-the-iconic-sovereign-celebrated-with-re-creation-of-original-pistrucci-design/)

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