1821 Proof Sovereign - PCGS PR63DCAM

Great Britain, 1821 Proof Sovereign -

The 1821 sovereign was the first commercial proof sovereign issued by the Royal Mint. It’s also the first currency issue sovereign to feature the standard representation of St George and the Dragon, a design that continues to grace the sovereign today. While the mintage is unknown, the coin is undoubtedly rare, appearing in auction only once or twice a year, and always keenly pursued. The specimen photographed above is the first I’ve handled since April 2019, and one of the nicer pieces to grade PR63DC with PCGS. Free from significant marks and marred by only a smattering of die polish, the coin strikes a good balance between grade and price: Sufficiently presentable to belong in a connoisseur sovereign collection, but affordable and not out of reach to the average high-end collector.