The sovereign 1912 is a British gold coin minted in London, also struck at the colonial Australian branch mints in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. Almost 39 million gold sovereign coins were struck this year. Minted under the reign of Goerges V, the 1912 King George V Large Head Gold Sovereigns, (originally a circulating coin, now a bullion coin) are now VAT free in UK and provided they were minted after 1817 and a legal tender coin, free from Capital Gains Tax for UK residents. They also are VAT free in European Union, the sovereigns meeting the criteria established in Article 344(1), point (2) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 (special scheme for investment gold).
Table of Contents
1912 Sovereigns Mintage
| Mintmark | Mint | Mintage |
| L | London, United Kingdom | 30,317,921 |
| M | Melbourne, Australia | 2,469,257 |
| P | Perth, Australia | 4,278,144 |
| S | Sydney, Australia | 2,227,000 |
| Total | 39,292,322 |
| Diameter (mm) | Weight (gr) | Thickness (mm) |
| 22,05 mm | Gross weight: 7,99 Gr Fine Gold: 7,32 Gr – 0.2354 troy ounce. | 1,52 mm |
| Edge and Orientation. | Millesimal fineness. | Composition. |
| ➣ Reeded / Milled ➣ Medal alignment ↑↑ | 22 carats; 917 ‰ | 91.67% gold and 8.33% Copper. |
| Mint and Mintmark | Financial Features | Mintage. |
| « The Royal Mint »: London, Canada and Australia mints. | Type: bullion coin. Production Years: 1817–present. Legal tender in the United Kingdom, value £1 = 20 shillings. | 1912 with 39,292,322 bullion coins. |
| Reverse: | Portrait by Edgar Bertram Mackennal. Matte background with matte bust of King George V facing left. Legend GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT:OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP Translated from Latin: George the Fifth, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India. |
| Obverse: | St George on horseback slaying the dragon right; 1912 and B.P. in exergue. |
1912 Gold Sovereign – King George V – London.
The absence of a mintmark indicates that the coin was produced at the London Mint. It is available at very reasonable prices, with premiums starting as low as 0% above the spot price of gold.
Obverse
The 1912 gold sovereign showcases the larger portrait design that was featured on sovereigns minted between 1911 and 1928.
Reverse
1912 George and the Dragon Sovereign video
1912 gold sovereign Melbourne Mint Australia.
Melbourne Mint Australia (‘M’): The mint mark for George V sovereigns is located within the ground line above the date on the coin’s reverse. These coins are dated 1912, the year following George V’s coronation. Notably, 1912 is also remembered as the year of the RMS Titanic’s tragic sinking and the establishment of the Republic of China.
Obverse
Reverse
1912 gold sovereign Perth Mint Australia.
The early Perth sovereigns from George V’s reign are exceptionally rare, with the 1911-P, 1912-P, 1913-P, 1914-P, and 1915-P coins each catalogued at approximately $525 in the McDonald (2013) guide. These sovereigns were struck at the Perth Mint, identifiable by the “P” mintmark located on the ground above the center of the date. A total of 4,278,144 coins were minted in Perth during this period, each crafted in 22-carat gold for circulation.
Obverse
Reverse
1912 gold sovereign MELBOURNE Australia.
In 1912, British sovereigns were minted at The Royal Mint in London and at branch mints in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, Australia. The total mintage across all these locations was 39,292,322 coins, with 2,227,000 of them struck in Sydney. These coins, intended for circulation, were made from 22-carat gold. To facilitate quality control, the coins minted in Sydney featured a small ‘S’ mintmark. Producing sovereigns close to gold mining areas, like Sydney, was practical, as it avoided the need to ship the gold to London for minting and then potentially ship it back again.
Obverse
Reverse
How to grade a Sovereign 1912.
Discerning collectors examining a large Head Georges V sovereign will check various main points when grading this obverse:
- The peaks of the eyebrow and upper cheek;
- The fine detail in his moustache;
- The broad area of hair above the ear & towards the fringe;
- The neck muscle between his ear and the base of his neck.
- Weakness will show in a lack of definition of the hair including beard and moustache;
- The top of the ear which would show a lack of sharpness on a weak strike;
- As always, the rims and fields;
When collectors examine a sovereign with the St George reverse, there are a certain number of points which are examined closely for strike & wear. From top to bottom, they are:
- The crest of St George’s helmet;
- St George’s chest, together with the strap & pin fastening his cloak;
- The bridle as it crosses the horse’s neck;
- The muscle separation in St George’s upper thigh;
- The horse’s forequarters & rump;
- The “bloodline” in the sword;
- The upper band across St George’s boot;
- The dragon’s torso below its neck.