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![1848 Gold Sovereign Victoria Young Head Shield Reverse London Mint]()
Reverse -
![1848 Gold Sovereign Victoria Young Head Shield Obverse London Mint]()
Obverse
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Surcharge
from £280.00
Estimated UK Delivery
£6.00
Stock status
6 Grades Available
Product ID
11492
1848 Gold Full Sovereign Victoria London Mint Second Young Head Shield
The 1848 gold sovereign features the young head portrait of Queen Victoria as the obverse design, with the crowned shield alternative to the famed "St George and the Dragon" earning this particular varient of Queen Victoria gold sovereign the name of "Shield Back".
The 1848 gold sovereign is the first date for the Queen Victoria "second head" shield sovereign. In 1848, there were two varieties of shield sovereigns. This is the second type, issued from 1848 to 1872, it has a slightly larger head in lower relief, and the reverse legends are repositioned. It is classified as S - Scarce by Marsh. The first type, issued from 1838 to 1848, has a smaller head in higher relief. See the "First Head" shield sovereign here.
Trying to spot the differences in detail is quite difficult, but it is very easy to sort them "by sight". Once you get used to looking at the different variations, you should be able to recognise the second head instantly because of the change in the size of Queen Victoria's head.
Here we advertise for sale the 1848 larger head (Spink reference 3852C, Marsh 31). If you want to read more about the types and sub types of the 1848 sovereign please see the 'More Info' section.
See the rest of the 1848 Sovereign Collection.
Photographs shown may not be the actual coin and may differ in terms of grade, die numbers, design flaws and other minor details.
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More Info
Price List
Sold Prices
Terms & Delivery
Related Blogs
1848 Sovereigns
In 1848, there were two varieties of shield sovereigns. The first (rarer) type, issued from 1838 to 1848, has a smaller head in higher relief (Spink reference 3852, Marsh 31A classified as rarity R2- very rare). The second type, issued from 1848 to 1872, has a slightly larger head in lower relief, and the reverse legends are repositioned (Spink reference 3852C, Marsh 31 rarity S - scarce). Marsh also reports a sub type 1848/7 in the date rarity R - rare. We have also seen auction listing for a subtype with missing serif's in the I's on the reverse.
Modern Sovereigns
Hammered gold coins called 'sovereigns' had been minted on and off between 1489-1604, whereupon James I (VI) changed the name of the 20/- gold piece to a 'Unite'. The reform coinage sovereign of 1817 onwards was issued as a normal circulation type coin, and also as a proof.
Obverse
Designed by William Wyon, Chief Engraver, the obverse features the second (large) young head portrait facing left of the young Queen at just 18 years old. This larger bust fills more of the area of the coin and shows Victoria's hair held by a double fillet and gathered into a loosely knotted bun. The initials W.W. are set in relief in the rear of the truncation, the date is under the bust.
The inscription reads:
VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
The date (1848) appears below the portrait.
Reverse
The reverse of the 1848 sovereign was designed by engraver, Jean Baptiste Merlen. It features the shield design, which is mounted by a crown. It also has a branch of laurel leaves on either side. The branches are tied, with a ribbon in a bow, below the shield.
Beneath this, the reverse displays the thistle, rose and shamrock (symbolising the unity of Scotland, England and Ireland) with a small flower stop on each side.
The inscription reads:
BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:
Which completes the monarch's legend, which begins on the obverse.
Specification
| Metal | Gold |
| Diameter | 22.05mm |
| Weight / Size | Full |
| Gold Weight Troy Ounces | 0.235 |
| Fineness / Carat | 0.917 / 22 |
| Mintage Figure | 2,246,701 |
| Date | 1848 |
| Spink Reference | 3852C |
| Obverse Designer | William Wyon |
| Reverse Designer | Jean Baptiste Merlen |
| Issuing Monarch | Victoria (1837-1901) |
| Mint / Brand | The Royal Mint |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Obverse Grade | Reverse Grade | Price | Availability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aVF | gVF | £1,571.55 | Out Of Stock | |
| aVF | VF | £942.35 | Out Of Stock | |
| gFine | VF | £992.35 | In Stock | |
| aVF | aVF | £930.19 | Out Of Stock | |
| gFine | VF | £930.19 | In Stock | |
| gFine | gFine | £830.19 | In Stock | |
| gVF | aEF | £1,310.19 | In Stock | |
| gFine | aVF | £890.19 | In Stock | |
| Fine | Fine | £730.19 | In Stock |
| Date | Obverse | Reverse | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 March 2019 | aVF | gVF | US$1,322.01 |
| 19 March 2021 | aVF | VF | £739.70 |
Terms of Sale - Key Points
You can find more information on payment and identification requirements.
Bullion coins are provided as is and on occasion may have some minor scratches or edge knocks. These are not regarded as faulty or damaged goods as their precious metal content and value as a bullion coin is not affected. Any coin sold for a value less than a 180% intrinsic is considered a bullion coin.
Gold investment products are VAT free. Silver investment products are inclusive of VAT at the current rate unless otherwise stated.
All investment products are based on the live precious metal price. Prices will be fixed once the item has been added to the basket and recalculates just before checking out.
If your product is not a graded coin and is considered a bullion item, it should be noted that these are bought and sold on low premiums over their precious metal content and not solely for aesthetic purposes; therefore, some products may have edge knocks and/or marks. These edge knocks and marks do not alter the specifications of the coins.
Please note that all investment products are exempt from the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and therefore customers do not have the right to cancel their order once the order has been accepted. If customers no longer wish to go ahead with their investment purchase, there is an option to sell the products back to Chard (1964) Ltd instead. View our current buy back prices.
View our full Terms & Conditions.
Delivery Information
We aim to dispatch orders within 48 hours of receiving cleared funds. Our standard delivery methods are as follows.
Orders over £60 - Fully Insured Delivery.
- Within the UK and BFPO - Next day fully insured and tracked. Delivery starts from £6.
Orders under £60
- Within the UK and BFPO - Royal Mail 2nd Class. Your order will normally arrive within 2-3 working days. Delivery starts from £3.50.
If you wish to have your order sent by an alternative method (e.g., Saturday Guaranteed) please contact +441253343081 for more information. Please note, we will not dispatch high value orders over a bank holiday weekend.
For international delivery, please check with your local customs office for more information on custom duty and taxes.
Full delivery information can be found by clicking here.
Postal Insurance
We offer fully insured delivery on all special delivery options. We do need to pass on the cost of this insurance as it soon adds up shipping high value gold and silver products.
- Orders under £1500 there is no additional fee.
- Orders over £1500 we charge a fee in order to cover the increasing costs of insurance. For every £1500 we apply a £1 fee.
If you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to call the showroom on +441253343081 and one of our team can discuss your purchase.
If you would like to read more about the gold sovereign, perhaps Britains most iconic numismatic piece, then follow the links below:
The Coins of Queen Victoria - Young Head Portrait
The Sovereign - Britain's Favourite Gold Coin
Chards Coin And Bullion Dealer: 55 Years In The Making
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