Rarely sells: 1 verified sales in the last 12 months.
1 Sovereign - William IV Pattern (1830)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1830 |
| Denomination | 1 Sovereign |
| Face value | £1 |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Series | Sovereign |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Demonetised | Yes |
| Composition | Gold (.9167) (917/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 7.980g · 0.2352 t oz |
| Diameter | 22.1mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Obv. artist | William Wyon, after a bust by Francis Chantrey |
| Rev. artist | Jean Baptiste Merlen |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Laureate bust of King William IV right, legend around,
GULIELMUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:
Crowned quartered shield overlaid on ornate scroll above date
1 Sovereign - William IV Pattern market value
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Daily limit reached1 Sovereign - William IV Pattern value by grade
Realised auction prices · ⭐ Pro Expand rows for individual sale records| Grade | Latest | Median | 30d Δ | All-time range | Sales (1yr) | Total sales | Last sale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VF | £11,183.00 🔒 | £11,183.00 (1) | – | £1,250.00 – £11,183.00 | 0 | 2 | 19-04-2025 | |
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| PR-61 | £15,000.00 🔒 | £15,000.00 (1) | – | £15,000.00 – £15,000.00 | 0 | 1 | 01-09-2019 | |
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| PR-64 | £25,000.00 🔒 | £25,000.00 (1) | – | £25,000.00 – £25,000.00 | 0 | 1 | 30-09-2025 | |
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| PR-65 | £21,136.86 🔒 | £21,136.86 (1) | – | £21,136.86 – £21,136.86 | 1 | 1 | 06-09-2026 | |
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About the 1830 1 Sovereign - William IV Pattern
The 1830 1 Sovereign - William IV Pattern is a collector 1 sovereign coin in the Sovereign series, struck in 91.67% gold. It weighs 7.98g and measures 22.05mm across. Reverse design: Crowned quartered shield overlaid on ornate scroll above date.
It is no longer legal tender, so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1830 1 Sovereign - William IV Pattern worth?
Verified sold prices for the 1830 1 Sovereign - William IV Pattern run from £11,183 to £25,000 across 4 grades, taking the median for each grade. Condition makes the difference, so check the grade table above before pricing one. Its gold content is worth about £705 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
Is there an 1830 William IV sovereign?
Yes, but only as a proof pattern. William IV became king in June 1830 and his currency sovereigns are dated from 1831. The Royal Mint Museum holds an 1830 proof in gold, and Chard notes that the piece is missing from Spink, Marsh and Fearon, so many collectors are unaware of it.
How many 1830 pattern sovereigns exist?
No number struck is recorded. An auction description reproduced by Chard, citing Wilson and Rasmussen, rates it R5, with 6 to 10 known. One example is in the Royal Mint Museum, recorded in the Mint's 1874 and 1906 collection catalogues.
How does the 1830 pattern differ from the 1831 sovereign?
It carries the same bare head and shield design, but is dated 1830, struck as a proof, and has a plain edge with high rims. It also uses what Wikipedia calls the second bust, which only gradually replaced the first on currency coins during 1831 and 1832.
How do I identify the 1830 1 Sovereign - William IV Pattern?
Check the weight 7.98g and diameter 22.05mm and the metal (91.67% gold) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
William IV came to the throne in June 1830. Wikipedia records that William Wyon was already working on the new portrait, from a sketch the sculptor Francis Chantrey supplied in April 1830, and that a die for the crown was shown to the king, who liked it and ordered that no other portrait of him be used. The new coinage was authorised by an order in council of 22 November 1830 and made current on 13 April 1831.
This piece is a proof pattern for the sovereign, dated 1830, before any currency coins were struck. The Royal Mint Museum's example is in gold, weighs 7.85 g and has a plain edge, and is recorded in the Mint's own collection catalogues of 1874 and 1906. The museum also keeps pewter impressions of the obverse and reverse and a uniface reverse in Barton's metal dated 1830, one of them showing the engraver's guidelines, all from the preparation of the dies.
The obverse is the bare head of William IV facing right, engraved by Wyon after Chantrey, with GULIELMUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D: around. Wikipedia says the second of Wyon's two busts was used for the patterns and proofs, while most 1831 currency coins carry the first.
Jean Baptiste Merlen's reverse shows the royal arms on a crowned, garnished shield, with ANNO and the date below. Chard reproduces an auction description of the coin: bare head right, crowned and ornately garnished shield, plain edge with high, knifelike rims and normal coin-die alignment.
Collecting notes
No number struck is recorded. The auction description reproduced by Chard rates the coin R5 (6 to 10 known), and Chard notes that it is left out of Spink, Marsh and Fearon, so many collectors do not know an 1830 William IV sovereign exists. Sovereigns dated 1830 are otherwise George IV coins, so check the portrait first: a bare head without laurel, a proof finish and a plain edge. The currency issue is the William IV sovereign of 1831 to 1837.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- William IV proof sovereign, 1830 (RMM 83), The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- 1830 British Gold Sovereigns For Sale - William IV, Chard (1964) Ltd (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Sovereign (British coin), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- William IV's British coinage, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- William IV uniface sovereign, 1830 (RMM 85), The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- William IV sovereign reverse impression, 1830 (RMM 86), The Royal Mint Museum, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
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