Sovereign – a gold coin of the Kingdom of England, first issued in 1489. It had a nominal value of 1 pound sterling or 20 shillings, but the denomination was not marked on the coin. The coin was named "sovereign" due to its size and the depiction of kings on the early issues. The obverse of the coin features an image of King Henry VII seated, while the reverse displays the coat of arms of the Kingdom of England and the double Tudor rose.

 

The first sovereigns were made of 958 fineness gold, later reduced to 917 fineness. Gold of this purity is called "crown gold" and became the standard for gold purity in the British Isles and the USA. The weight of sovereigns was reduced several times. In 1604, the last sovereigns were minted, and they were replaced by unites, laurels, broads, and guineas. However, in 1817, the minting of sovereigns was resumed in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.