A gold sovereign minted under the reign of Henry VIII (1491-1547) will be offered at St James's Auctions in London on March 5 with an estimate of £130,000-140,000 ($216,736-233,408).
 Sovereigns were first produced under the reign of Henry VII |
It was produced circa 1544-1547 during the third coinage period of the king's reign and features an even strike on a broad flan, with superb detailing and bold type.
The coin was previously part of the British Museum's permanent collection until it was auctioned in a sale of duplicates in 1811.
England's first sovereigns were created in 1489 during Henry VII's reign. They are so named for the original image of the king seated on the throne on the coin's obverse.
Their inflated size in comparison to the pound sterling was in part to impress upon the rest of Europe the power and wealth of England.
This is the finest known example of just three of this type in private hands.
A gold ryal produced under the reign of Mary I (also known as bloody Mary) in 1553 carries an identical estimate of £130,000-140,000 ($216,736-233,408).
It depicts the queen holding a sword in one hand, a shield in the other, while a Tudor rose appears on the reverse. Despite a small striking crack, it is in fine condition and is exceptionally rare at any grade.
We have this rare lightweight Unite coin minted under the reign of Charles I, grandson of Mary I.
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