Sovereign & Britannia - what is the difference?

JDelage

What are those 2 coins meant for? Where are they different?

SYRACUSIAN

Sovereigns were real coins and were used worldwide ,they were extremely popular even when they were not officially legal tender anymore, such as during WW2. Britannias are basically modern commemorative coins, you can call them bullion if you like but they certainly don't sell for bullion value.

JDelage

Sovereigns are not minted anymore?

SYRACUSIAN

Sure they are, but they are no longer legal tender, so they too fall into the commemorative category now. They are minted every year in proof and mint state, and they are sold at high prices by the British Royal Mint. I believe the Britannias have a much smaller mintage than the modern sovereigns.

Cruzi

Sovereigns and fractions were circulating coins, the Britannias are a modern bullion coin.

Sovs are sizes like 0.1177 and 0.2354 oz, the modern Britannias released in response to other modern world gold are made in 1oz and even fractions, 1/2, 1/4 1/10 etc.

Sovereigns are still made today, and although not legal tender are still in fact "tender", you can still spend sovs in Russia, Middle East, PNG Highlands some places in Europe.

Sylvestius

<< <i>Sovereigns and fractions were circulating coins, the Britannias are a modern bullion coin.

Sovs are sizes like 0.1177 and 0.2354 oz, the modern Britannias released in response to other modern world gold are made in 1oz and even fractions, 1/2, 1/4 1/10 etc.

Sovereigns are still made today, and although not legal tender are still in fact "tender", you can still spend sovs in Russia, Middle East, PNG Highlands some places in Europe. >>




Sovereigns are in fact legal tender in the UK, they have a legal face value of £1, half sovereigns are legally 50p. It's up to you whether you want to try and spend one though.

Sylvestius

Finally i've found the answer to the issue of the 'crowns'

http://www.24carat.co.uk/legaltenderframe.html

Cruzi

The question of the legal tender status of sovereigns has been subject to occasional debate, some of it legal.

Athough officially legal tender, you would be flat out spending one, indeed the gentleman on trial in Switzerland for making sovs in the 1950's used this to evade forgery charges.