2017 Great Britain 1/2-oz Gold Sovereign Piedfort Proof

For the First Time EVER, the Gold Sovereign in a Piedfort Proof!

Created in the 15th century by order of King Henry VII and revived under the reign of King George III, the British Gold Sovereign is an enduring physical symbol of influence and wealth. Now, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the "modern" Sovereign, the Royal Mint is introducing the very first Gold Sovereign Piedfort Proof! Not only is this the first time the Sovereign has been struck as an extra-thick Piedfort, it also marks the return of the original Benedetto Pistrucci-created design -- not seen on a Sovereign since 1820!

• THE "GARTER" RETURNS! -- Royal Mint engraver Benedetto Pistrucci's original vision of St. George and the Dragon was bordered by a belt impressed with the motto "Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense" ("Evil unto Him Who Thinks Evil of It") -- the prestigious insignia of The Most Nobel Order for the Garter. Removed from the Sovereign's design in 1820, the Garter is making its one-year-only return to the 2017 Gold Sovereign Piedfort Proof!

• A RESTORATION CENTURIES IN THE MAKING -- 2017 not only marks the restoration of the Sovereign's Garter border but also that of Pistrucci's entire original design. Remastered from the original 1817 dies and enhanced by state-of-the-art minting technology, St. George's heroic battle looks better than ever!

• GOLDEN "PROOF" OF THE ENGRAVERS' ART -- Going beyond the artistry-defining "proof", mints would produce weighty piedforts to provide their patrons with tangible displays of power. The Royal Mint continues this tradition through this gorgeous double-thick Sovereign, proof-struck in 15.97 grams of 22 carat gold -- that's well over half an ounce!

• LEGAL TENDER WITH A REGAL DESIGN -- Each Gold Sovereign Piedfort Proof is legal tender for the United Kingdom, a fact reflected on the obverse by Jody Clark's most recent profile of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. You'll also discover the year (its first appearance on the obverse since 1887) and the phrase "II DEI GRA REG FID DEF," or "By the Grace of God, Queen and Defender of the Faith." Like the reverse's design, everything is presented as frosted details over a mirror-like surface, thanks to the Royal Mint's proof-minting process.

• PRESENTED IN ORIGINAL MINT PACKAGING -- Your 2017 Gold Sovereign Piedfort Proof will arrive to you in its original Royal Mint packaging. Secured in a clear acrylic capsule, your Sovereign is housed in a brilliantly crafted wood presentation case. In addition, you will also receive a Royal Mint numbered certificate of authenticity as well as a storybook that vividly details the history of the Sovereign and the British Monarchy.

• SOLD OUT AT THE ROYAL MINT -- According to the Royal Mint's website, the entire 3,500 piece mintage of the 2017 Gold Sovereign Piedfort Proof is already 100% reserved!

As you can tell from the above, this is far from a typical Sovereign! Surging to the top of many collectors' wish lists, demand from both inside and outside the United Kingdom is already making the 2017 Gold Sovereign Piedfort Proof a hot property. Fortunately, our relationship with the Royal Mint has allowed us to secure a limited number of these coins. And once the word is out, we're expecting these superb Sovereigns to quickly disappear! Don't wait another two centuries -- add this 2017 Gold Sovereign Piedfort Proof to your cart today!