Official Weight of Gold Sovereigns

[LawrenceChard]

I know the answer, but who else out there also knows?

Here is my challenge for all TSF members:

What do you think is the official correct weight of a British gold sovereign?

... and...

What source did you get your information from?

[Abyss]

https://www.chards.co.uk/2020-gold-sovereign-uncirculated-coin/11022

[Martlet]

Without looking it up i dont know the official specification but reckon it comes from the Coinage Act 1816. 

[dicker]

I am going to be shot down, but I think the weight is 7.9880xxxx

Its an odd weight in g or Troy Oz so I suspect it was based on another coin - perhaps a Guinea?

[LawrenceChard]

5 minutes ago, Martlet said:

Without looking it up i dont know the official specification but reckon it comes from the Coinage Act 1816. 

So do I, but I can't find a copy of it, and I have searched Hansard, and other online sources. I could try and ask the Royal Mint, but I have not had any response to my last questions about 2 or 3 years ago. I think I must be Persona Non Grata.

Edited July 23, 2020 by LawrenceChard
typo

[Martlet]

12 minutes ago, LawrenceChard said:

So do I, but I can't find a copy of it, and I have searched Hansard, and other online sources. I could try and ask the Royal Mint, but I have not had any response to my last questions about 2 or 3 years ago. I think I must be Persona Non Grata.

Wikipedia points here https://archive.org/stream/statutesunitedk32britgoog#page/n436/mode/2up

[HawkHybrid]

http://goldsovereignexpert.com/info/how-much-does-a-gold-sovereign-weigh/

 

I thought a sovereign's weight is defined in grains.

 

HH

[LawrenceChard]

10 minutes ago, Martlet said:

Wikipedia points here https://archive.org/stream/statutesunitedk32britgoog#page/n436/mode/2up

Thanks.

I made start, but is there a version in English?🙂

After 2 out of 7 pages, I now need my eyes testing, or a good night's sleep.

[Martlet]

45 minutes ago, LawrenceChard said:

Thanks.

I made start, but is there a version in English?🙂

After 2 out of 7 pages, I now need my eyes testing, or a good night's sleep.

  It can be hard going.  The "f" for "s" do me head, inconsistent with Silver, paffing (passing), Sixty fix (six) and my favourite finefs (finess).  How did we rule the globe?  

Anyway, its apparent that gold sovereign isn't defined at all, except by inference.  There's how much silver can be minted how many shillings, which is known £ value of a troy oz gold.  Thats divided by weight (~373g), to arrive at 7.98g.  I think, i tapped out mid-way through. 

Edited July 23, 2020 by Martlet

[LawrenceChard]

5 minutes ago, Martlet said:

  It can be hard going.  The "f" for "s" do me head, inconsistent with Silver, paffing (passing), Sixty fix (six) and my favourite finefs (finess).  How did we rule the globe?  

Anyway, its apparent that gold sovereign isn't defined at all, except by inference.  There's how much silver can be minted how many shillings, which is known £ value of a troy oz gold.  Thats divided by weight (~373g), to arrive at 7.98g.  I think, i tapped out mid-way through. 

You are right, and I'm not surprised!

[Prophecy]

What I find funny is that everywhere I look to find the gram weight of a half sovereign, it's never half what they say is a full sovereign. OZT conversion numb skulls.

[Stuntman]

On 23/07/2020 at 22:16, Martlet said:

  It can be hard going.  The "f" for "s" do me head, inconsistent with Silver, paffing (passing), Sixty fix (six) and my favourite finefs (finess).  How did we rule the globe?  

It's a good job the coin is called a Sovereign and not, for instance, a Honeysuckle... 😉

[LawrenceChard]

On 29/07/2020 at 19:33, Prophecy said:

What I find funny is that everywhere I look to find the gram weight of a half sovereign, it's never half what they say is a full sovereign. OZT conversion numb skulls.

That's because innumerati, including The Royal Mint introduce rounding errors, then dealers, collectors, and other "experts" copy them, often introducing more errors, in a game of "Chinese Whispers".

I have just posted a accurate calculation here:

 

[SidS]

When you ask official correct weight: Do you mean weight 'as minted', or official as in 'legal tender' weight? Not quite the same thing.

My understanding in the legal documents it's often defined as not below a certain weight, not necessarily the freshly minted weight.

I do understand they are two different things.

[LawrenceChard]

4 hours ago, SidS said:

When you ask official correct weight: Do you mean weight 'as minted', or official as in 'legal tender' weight? Not quite the same thing.

My understanding in the legal documents it's often defined as not below a certain weight, not necessarily the freshly minted weight.

I do understand they are two different things.

By "Official Weight of Gold Sovereigns", I mean the published specifications. These are what @Hotdog referred to, and to which I responded here:

 

I believe these specifications are iether included in The Coinage Act 1816, or part of a separate, but related document.

Hotdog has already mentioned allowances for error, tolerance, or remedy, which I will deal with in more detail later.

Minium legal weight is a lower threshold limit, below which they would, in their day, have been removed from circulation, and replaced or exchanged.

 

[Wampum]

I think the official weight, would be twice that of a Half, and half that of a Double. 

[jessica5090]

7.9 grams

 

Full Sovereign - weight 7.9 grams, 22.05mm in diameter with a Fine Gold content 7.32 grams. Half Sovereign - weight 3.99 grams, 19.30mm in diameter with a Fine Gold content 3.675 grams. Quarter Sovereign - weight 2 grams, 13.5 mm in diameter with a Fine Gold content 1.83 grams.
via: 

www.goldketten.org

Edited July 6, 2021 by jessica5090