1978 Gold Sovereign Coin Elizabeth II Decimal Portrait

The 1978 Sovereign is a British gold coin, minted by the Royal Mint. The weight of the coin is 7.98 grams with a fineness of 916.7 (22 carat gold), this means it contains 7.3224 grams of pure gold. The diameter of the coin is 22 mm. The Sovereigns have a face value of 1 Pound and are legal tender in the UK.

The coin has no mintmark, indicating it was struck by The Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Wales.

The obverse of the Queen Elizabeth II 1978 Gold Sovereign features the 'decimal head' design by Arnold Machin. This portrait is known as the ‘decimal head’ because it was the first portrait to be issued after the decimalisation of British currency. This effigy of Queen Elizabeth II shows her profile facing right, wearing a diamond tiara. It is the second official portrait of Queen Elizabeth II to be used on coins minted by The Royal Mint.

The inscription on the coin reads '+ELIZABETH·II·DEI·GRATIA·REGINA·F:D:'.

The reverse of the 1978 Gold Sovereign features the traditional design of Saint George and the dragon by Benedetto Pistrucci, as well as the sculptor's initials B.P. and the year of issue.