GOLD SOVEREIGNS: THE EDWARDIAN ERA

Victoria’s eldest son Edward had to wait until he was nearly 60 years old before he succeeded his mother to the British throne. Although Victoria died in January 1901, coins struck throughout the remainder of that year continued to bear her portrait. The first issue of coins of Edward VII (reigned 1901-1910) were minted in 1902 with a right-facing portrait of the King, modeled and engraved by George William De Saulles.

Only one sovereign type was issued during Edward’s relatively short reign, with the De Saulles portrait on the obverse and the customary St George and the Dragon design on the reverse.

Over 100 million of these coins were struck at London and the three Australian mints. Towards the end of his reign, in fact, a fourth branch mint was opened in Ottawa, Canada (1908), which also minted Edward VII sovereigns.