Blank

this the piece of metal cut as a flat disc that is used to strike or mint a coin

Basic premium

This is the average premium seen in normal periods when there is no financial or economic crisis.

Carat

The carat (symbol ct) is a unit of measure for precious metals such as gold. In this case, a carat represents 1/24^th of an alloy’s total weight.
e.g.: 21 carat gold means that 24 grams of alloy contains 21 grams of pure gold. 24 carat gold is pure gold. Gold is often mixed with other meals which makes it harder and stronger and provides the required colour.

Coin condition

A coin’s condition is a classification criterion that is used for coins in addition to their year. This condition is one of the main ways of estimating the coin’s market value.

There is a specific nomenclature to describe the different condition.

Coin’s date

A coin’s date is the date it was issued. Sometimes coins were re-struck with a date that is different to the initial issue date (e.g.: the 1925 Sovereign was re-minted in 1949-1951).

The 1925 London Sovereign

Coin restrike

This is a coin that is struck/minted from an old coin but at a later period to when it was initially issued. The most famous was a restrike of the 1925 Sovereign  where in 1949 the Royal mint did not have time to prepare new dies so all the sovereigns struck in 1949 were dated 1925. This was repeated in 1950 and 1951.

Coin rim

This is the raised edge of a coin. It’s a circle that is sometimes decorated or knurled that runs around some coins.

Die Numbers
numbers can be found on the reverse of Sovereigns.There are many possible reasons for using die numbers. The most obvious is to be able to check and control the quality of the dies. Other possible reasons include quality and security control during production.

Face value for a coin

This is the legal value of the coin when it was issued. The face value is usually shown on the coin’s reverse.

Fineness

The proportion of precious metal (fine gold) contained in an alloy. Fineness is expressed in parts per thousand. e.g.: ‘900 °/oo gold’ means that the alloy contains 900 parts of gold and 100 parts of other metals (called base metals). The carat is the old unit used to measure gold’s purity/fineness. The Sovereign has a fineness of 916 °/oo and the base metal is copper.

Hallmark

Hallmarks are applied to jewellery made of gold (or silver) and other manufactured products (such as ingots) to provide information about the manufacturer and the fineness.

Mint mark

A symbol engraved on a coin that identifies the mint in which it was made and/or the engraver and/or the workshop director. From 1871 to 1932 the British Sovereign was minted outside of the UK and the branch mint mark on later dates can be found above the centre of the date. In France, since 1879, the French Mint Director’s mark has been the horn of plenty. This symbol, which is made more difficult to achieve by being as miniscule and as detailed as possible, is the main element used to identify counterfeit coins.

Mintage

Total number of examples made of a particular coin.

Minter’s die

A piece of very hard metal on which the design is engraved as hollows or reliefs and which will be reproduced on the blanks by the minting process.

Mint sheen

The satin appearance of new coins caused by micro-irregularities on the surface. This sheen disappears quickly when it is first handled. A coin that still has its mint sheen is a coin that has never entered circulation.

Obverse

Side of a coin that contains the main engraved motif (usually a portrait). The reverse is the other side.

Placer

This term is of Spanish origin. It means gold deposits of alluvial origin, especially those that can be worked using open cast mining techniques.

Premium differential

This is the difference between the basic premium and the highest actual premium. This figure indicates the potential for the premium to have a leverage effect when buying gold coins. A proof Sovereign will cost almost twice the value of the gold whilst a bullion condition coin may be purchased for 10% above the gold value. The difference between these two values is the differential

Reverse

The reverse is the face of a coin that is opposed to the obverse. Normally, it is here that the coin’s face value is shown