Why were St George and Shield back sovereigns issuded at the same time from 1871-1887

[Chris99a]

hi, I was just wondering why the Royal and Colonial mints started issuing St George sovereigns from 1871 but also continued to issue the shield back coins each year until the effigy redesign to the Jubilee Head in 1887 rather than just replacing the shield backs with the newer St George Patter. also most the sources I have found have included a combined mintage figgure for both types, I was wonder also if separate design mintages existed and are accessible?

 

many thanks

[SidS]

I have read (but cannot confirm how true it is) that the shield reverse sovereigns continued to be struck at the colonial mints because they were preferred in India, whereas St George designs were disliked.

[Zhorro]

1 minute ago, SidS said:

I have read (but cannot confirm how true it is) that the shield reverse sovereigns continued to be struck at the colonial mints because they were preferred in India, whereas St George designs were disliked.

Yes, it was for trade reasons, and I think in the Far East the killing of a dragon did not go down well - in China it is a symbol of power, wealth and good luck, and I understand the dragon represents the sovereignty of emperors.

[Chris99a]

so the royal mint is not thought to have continued with the shield after 1871, just the collonial mints? 

also Britain had strong trade links with Asia after 1887 so it was a strange decision to abandon the shield after then, or would the Hong Kong trade dollar have been more widely used instead after this point possibly?

[SidS]

Sorry @Zhorro is correct, it wasn't India, it was the Far East, they saw the killing of the dragon as colonial subjugation. I've just found it mentioned as such in a Baldwin's sovereign info book on Jubilee sovereigns.

 

[SidS]

5 minutes ago, Chris99a said:

so the royal mint is not thought to have continued with the shield after 1871, just the collonial mints? 

also Britain had strong trade links with Asia after 1887 so it was a strange decision to abandon the shield after then, or would the Hong Kong trade dollar have been more widely used instead after this point possibly?

It's a funny one, I am speculating here based on general reading over many years, but when most countries abandoned bimetallism and went onto the gold standard in stages through the late 19th century, China was the outlier, remaining on a silver standard. Perhaps as you state, the silver trade dollar, was more used in commerce.

[Chris99a]

so did the Royal Mint issue both types or were the shield types only issued by collonial mints?

 

[Zhorro]

1 hour ago, Chris99a said:

so did the Royal Mint issue both types or were the shield types only issued by collonial mints?

 

The London Mint released both types in 1871, 1872, 1873 and 1874.