Henry VIII Gold Half Sovereign - Fine

BullionByPost is proud to offer numismatic collectors a growing range of rare collectable coins, including this hammered Half Sovereign, in good-fine condition. This gold coin was struck at the Tower Mint in London and features the King on throne holding an Orb and Sceptre on the obverse and a Crowned shield held by lions on the reverse.

The first Gold Half Sovereign was issued by Henry VIII. This is a Posthumous issue, struck between 1547-51 with Edward VI's youthful portrait. Mintmark is Pellet in Annulet.

Edward VI's portrait appears on the body of his father, Henry VIII, for this coin. Shortly after the death of Henry it was felt that his successor, Edward, was too young to rule at just nine years old. The majority of coins issued in the immediate years after the death of Henry still featured Henry's portrait for this reason.

As Edward got older the Mint began to experiment - putting his youthful face on a body more similar to Henry's. This particular coin is one of those experiments - a young boy's face on an old man's body.

You will receive the actual coin pictured. For a more detailed view, hover your mouse cursor over the image.

Henry produced the most important revolution in English history thanks to the split with Rome and the constitution of the Church of England. Henry VIII’s life is legendary, and books, movies, and more recently a television drama have all been produced about his remarkable reign and of course his unfortunate wives.