Sovereign Collection Ideas...

[Swampy]

Hi folks,

I’ve been on the forum a week or so now - found it after watching a numistacker video on YouTube.  Only found him recently too... love it! 

I’ve always been in my own coin bubble so it’s fascinating to see this forum.  I’ve picked up that some members are absolute magpies preparing for a zombie apocalypse whilst others are pretty serious about their numismatics.  I think i fall into both camps! 

Anyways, I’m looking for some inspiration as I’ve just completed a sovereign set I’d been working towards over the past couple of years and I’m looking for ideas on what to base my next sovereign set around.  

So...   

What are your sovereign collections / sets based around? 

What do you think would make an interesting collection? I’m drawn to older coins. 

What would you like to collect sovereign wise? 

I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas... 

Thanks!

[sovereignsteve]

23 minutes ago, Swampy said:

What are your sovereign collections / sets based around?

Victoria shields. Most are easy to get hold of but some are very rare and thus, very expensive. Still, I don't worry about having a few gaps in my collection; I don't get too OCD about these things.
Collecting die errors adds a bit of extra interest.
I actually prefer George III and IV sovs but they are generally expensive these days even for the more common ones. William as well and even more expensive.

Which set is it that you mention you have recently completed?

I find that once I have completed a set or date run, I have an urge to sell it and start again or start on a diferent one!😁

[Foster88]

@Swampy there are many options with regards to Sovereigns as you know.

Victoria shields that Steve mentions above are one of my favourites and a very nice design. I’ve recently started collecting George V Sovereigns and there is some variety with different mints being London, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Ottawa, South Africa and India for the 1918 date. The George V Sovereigns seem to becoming more popular especially the years with lower mintages.

You can of course get the Victoria Sovereigns in the Australian mints too, the Ottawa and South Africa mints opening much later at the beginning of the 20th century.

[Chorlton]

If you can find a copy the recent book The Gold Sovereign (2017 edn.) by Michael A. Marsh gives a very good over view and contains a lot of useful info.

[Swampy]

7 hours ago, sovereignsteve said:

Which set is it that you mention you have recently completed?

I was really drawn to the 2017 proof design and was looking at it next to my 1817.  I thought a collection from 1817-2017, charting the evolution of the coin, would be interesting. 

It’s a monarch portrait set, mint mark collection and special reverse set of 48 coins in a nice box.  Each one different but fitting in with a reason. 

Fun to do and learnt lots.  Perhaps, in time I’ll try and improve the quality - eg proof 2012 for the bullion one.  Or a higher grade George IV Laureate etc.  But for the moment it’s complete to my taste and stored away.  

It’s proven to be a real overview of the sovereign coin across 200 years which is what I set out to do. 

But what next?! 

[Micky9776]

Hi @Swampy

For me personally I am trying to complete a date run of Edward VII head sovereigns (only need a 1902 to complete now!) once complete, I may start on the Queen Victoria Jubilee head date run set or the older head set. Other options for me is a sovereign from each monarch and also a sovereign from each mint 😃

Best of luck to you in what you choose next

[Swampy]

7 hours ago, sovereignsteve said:

Victoria shields.

Really like these!  Is it a date run with accepted blank years, have you stuck to London or branched out to Oz?

[Swampy]

20 minutes ago, Micky9776 said:

sovereign from each mint

George V - nice 7 coin set?  As @Foster88said the variety in mints is interesting.  
 

[SilverMike]

For some inspiration and to look at what sets others have put together, if you join NGC and PCGS (both free) you can see a lot of variations and options there in the competitive and custom sets. Not suggesting you have to slab, but may help give you some direction.

[dicker]

Hi - My ideas...

- Specialise in collecting Sovs from one of more of the branch mints

- Victoria Jubilee head Sovereigns

- If you want a small and obtainable collection then Gillicks are a very pretty coin

[Swampy]

3 hours ago, SilverMike said:

For some inspiration and to look at what sets others have put together, if you join NGC and PCGS (both free) you can see a lot of variations and options there in the competitive and custom sets. Not suggesting you have to slab, but may help give you some direction.

Thats a great idea. I've never really spent any time on those sites, and so did not know that a section on competitive and custom sets existed.   I'll check them out.... thanks!

[Swampy]

3 hours ago, dicker said:

Hi - My ideas...

- Specialise in collecting Sovs from one of more of the branch mints

- Victoria Jubilee head Sovereigns

- If you want a small and obtainable collection then Gillicks are a very pretty coin

Thanks Dicker.   I do like the Gillick Sovereign.  I am drawn to the Australian mints, and very much like the YH Australia reverse. 

I saw a different post by yourself recently and have picked up a copy of  an auction catalogue, The Bentley Collection, you mentioned for inspiration.  Sunday reading in front of the fire with a glass of Red....  

[SilverMike]

1 minute ago, Swampy said:

The Bentley Collection

Also a good one to drool over: https://thetyrantcollection.com

[dicker]

19 minutes ago, Swampy said:

Thanks Dicker.   I do like the Gillick Sovereign.  I am drawn to the Australian mints, and very much like the YH Australia reverse. 

I saw a different post by yourself recently and have picked up a copy of  an auction catalogue, The Bentley Collection, you mentioned for inspiration.  Sunday reading in front of the fire with a glass of Red....  

Hi Swampy - glad you liked it (the Bentley catalogue)

I think the Australian Branch mints are the most interesting by some margin, and there they have a fantastic history.

Best

Dicker

[Jvw]

13 hours ago, Swampy said:

Hi folks,

I’ve been on the forum a week or so now - found it after watching a numistacker video on YouTube.  Only found him recently too... love it! 

I’ve always been in my own coin bubble so it’s fascinating to see this forum.  I’ve picked up that some members are absolute magpies preparing for a zombie apocalypse whilst others are pretty serious about their numismatics.  I think i fall into both camps! 

Anyways, I’m looking for some inspiration as I’ve just completed a sovereign set I’d been working towards over the past couple of years and I’m looking for ideas on what to base my next sovereign set around.  

So...   

What are your sovereign collections / sets based around? 

What do you think would make an interesting collection? I’m drawn to older coins. 

What would you like to collect sovereign wise? 

I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas... 

Thanks!

Hi Swampy, many great idea's and collections have been posted already. I collect sovereigns because I like their history. I started with one bullion coin and now I try and complete date-runs. Eventually I will try and collect from 1838 to 2021 and onward. I do skip the expensive and rare ones. And don't stick to London ones, they vary from different mints.

When I complete the run then I think i will cross the line to the high premium ones. But I have plenty to go

[Roy]

Too easy! 

Try an 1887 collection (7 coins)

Edward C collection

George C collection

1918 mint collection

1923

That'll keep you busy 🙂

 

[Swampy]

Indeed it would! 😂

 

[KevjustKev]

As others have said, all nice ones to go for, I'm going for much more modern, the current queen, very easy to get hold of. Maybe start with the bullion then move up to the proof ones

[JonP]

I'm just starting out on my Sovereign journey too, having just been a stacker prior to this. The series that really caught my eye is the 2017 design so I am slowly working my way through collecting the proofs and rarities in this series. Quite like the 89's too..

[Swampy]

2 minutes ago, JonP said:

I'm just starting out on my Sovereign journey too...

It’s a fantastic journey to be on!  

I’ve been on it a while and am looking for inspiration / ideas on where to go next with it.   It’s an expensive pastime so making the right next step is as important as selecting something that is realistically achievable over time. 

2017s proofs are lovely... and with a bullion version and an Indian one too it gives a nice range.  1989 - great design... seems to cost more each month!

 

[SidS]

I always loved the Victoria shield sovereigns and before I sold off all my gold, I was working on a date set.

I think a mintmark set would be great: London, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Ottawa, Pretoria and Bombay.

Maybe one day I may decide to purchase one of each and return some gold to the collection. I'd probably go for George V coins though, so they're all the same obverse.

I always fancied an Ansell too!

[StackemHigh]

How about the monster box collection? 

Buy an empty monster box with tubes and fill it!

[Foster88]

On 13/02/2021 at 09:15, Chorlton said:

If you can find a copy the recent book The Gold Sovereign (2017 edn.) by Michael A. Marsh gives a very good over view and contains a lot of useful info.

This book is rarer than rocking horse 💩

I’m waiting on the new edition that’s due to be released early this year.

[Foster88]

On 15/02/2021 at 09:32, SidS said:

I'd probably go for George V coins though, so they're all the same obverse.

I always fancied an Ansell too!

Not entirely true, the last three years of the George V Sovereigns have the slightly smaller head design.

 

[SidS]

23 minutes ago, Foster88 said:

Not entirely true, the last three years of the George V Sovereigns have the slightly smaller head design.

 

True! I did know that to be fair, but I often forget it. I never got that far into the reign!