How heavy is a gold sovereign?

A standard British gold sovereign weighs 7.988 g (sometimes published as 7.98 g or 7.99 g). The tolerance is ±0.020 g. Pure gold content: 7.32 g at 22-carat (.9167 fine), with the remaining 0.668 g being copper added to harden the alloy. In troy ounces, this is exactly 0.2354 troy ounces of pure gold. The specifications have been unchanged since the modern sovereign was reintroduced under George III in 1817 — over two centuries of consistent weight and fineness.

What is the diameter of a sovereign?

The diameter of a UK gold sovereign is 22.05 mm, measured flat-to-flat across the round coin. The tolerance is ±0.05 mm. Thickness is approximately 1.52 mm. The edge is milled (reeded) with no inscription — a tactile authentication feature against counterfeits. These dimensions have been consistent since 1817 except for very early Royal Mint trial pieces and some 19th-century branch-mint variants where weight tolerance was slightly looser.

How much pure gold is in a sovereign?

7.32 g of pure gold at 22-carat (.9167) fineness, or 0.2354 troy ounces. At a gold spot price of £1,750 per troy ounce, the pure-gold value (the "melt floor") is approximately £412. Bullion-grade common-date sovereigns trade at gold spot + 5-15% premium (so £430-475 at current spot). Numismatic-premium sovereigns (Victorian, Edwardian, scarce dates) trade at higher premiums on top of melt — sometimes multiples of melt floor. The melt floor is the practical stop-loss for sovereign holdings: no rational seller takes less than gold-content value.

How does a sovereign compare in size to other coins?

A gold sovereign at 22.05 mm is similar in diameter to a UK 5p (18 mm) and slightly smaller than a UK 1p (20.3 mm). It's smaller than a UK 10p (24.5 mm) and 20p (21.4 mm). Compared internationally: a US dime (17.91 mm) is smaller; a US quarter (24.26 mm) is larger. The 1 oz gold Britannia is 38.61 mm — nearly double the diameter and roughly 4× the weight of a sovereign. The half sovereign is 19.30 mm in diameter (smaller than a sovereign, as expected). The quintuple sovereign (£5) is 36.02 mm, similar to a 1 oz Britannia.

What are the specifications for half, quarter and quintuple sovereigns?

Quarter sovereign (modern, since 2009): 1.997 g, 13.50 mm, 1.10 mm thick, 22-carat. Pure gold: 1.83 g (0.0588 oz). Face value: 25p. Half sovereign: 3.99 g, 19.30 mm, 1.52 mm thick, 22-carat. Pure gold: 3.66 g (0.118 oz). Face value: 50p. Sovereign: 7.988 g, 22.05 mm, 1.52 mm thick, 22-carat. Pure gold: 7.32 g (0.2354 oz). Face value: £1. Double sovereign (£2): 15.976 g, 28.40 mm, 22-carat. Pure gold: 14.64 g (0.4708 oz). Quintuple sovereign (£5): 39.94 g, 36.02 mm, 22-carat. Pure gold: 36.61 g (1.177 oz). All maintain the .9167 (22-carat) fineness; they are exact-multiple variants of the standard sovereign.

Are sovereign specifications the same as in 1817?

Yes — the modern UK sovereign has held the same 7.988 g weight, 22.05 mm diameter and 22-carat composition continuously since 1817. The 1817 sovereign under George III set these specifications and they have never changed. There were minor branch-mint variations (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth in the late 19th and early 20th centuries) where local production tolerances were slightly looser, but the official specifications have been constant. The 1989 500th anniversary sovereign (commemorating Henry VII's original 1489 sovereign) used Tudor design but kept the modern weight and diameter. This 200+ year specification consistency is unique among major world coinage.

How can I verify a sovereign's weight?

Use a precision digital scale with at least 0.01 g resolution and a calibration weight (a UK 1p coin weighs exactly 3.564 g and can serve as a quick calibration check). Place the sovereign on the scale, record the weight, compare against the 7.988 g specification. Acceptable tolerance: 7.96 g - 8.02 g. Off by more than 0.05 g indicates either a fake or a damaged/clipped genuine. A precision scale costs £15-30 on Amazon and is the single best authentication tool any sovereign collector can own. See our how to spot a fake sovereign guide for the full authentication test suite.

Why is a sovereign 22-carat instead of 24-carat?

Durability for circulation. Pure 24-carat gold (.999 fineness) is too soft for circulation use; a coin in pocket-change conditions would wear and dent rapidly. Adding 8.33% copper (the difference between 22-carat .9167 and 24-carat 1.000) creates an alloy that holds detail and resists wear while keeping the gold content high. The 22-carat ("crown gold") standard was set in England in 1526 under Henry VIII and has been the default for circulating English/British gold ever since. Modern bullion-only coins like the 1 oz Britannia (since 2013) use 24-carat .9999 because they're intended for storage rather than circulation; the soft surface is acceptable when the coin lives in a capsule. The trade-off favours 22-carat for sovereigns because they were designed for everyday transactions in their original era.

How do sovereign specifications affect authentication?

The specs are the most reliable authentication signal. Three primary tests use them: weight (7.988 g ± 0.020 g), diameter (22.05 mm ± 0.05 mm), and specific gravity / density (17.7 g/cm³). Counterfeits routinely fail at least one of these three tests. The specifications also provide the basis for ultrasonic testing (which measures the density across the entire coin volume rather than just surface) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, both of which detect tungsten-core fakes that pass simpler tests. For high-value sovereigns, the specifications are the foundation of every authentication framework used by PCGS, NGC, CGS UK, and the Royal Mint Museum.

What units are sovereign weights given in?

Grams (g) is standard for the modern era. Historical references sometimes use grains: a sovereign weighs 123.27 grains (the British troy grain, where 480 grains = 1 troy ounce). In troy ounces: 0.2570 troy oz total weight, of which 0.2354 troy oz is pure gold. In avoirdupois ounces (the common UK/US system): 0.2818 oz total. For bullion calculations, always use troy ounces — gold spot prices are quoted per troy ounce. The 7.32 g pure gold content multiplied by gold spot per gram gives the melt floor in your local currency. At £1,750/troy oz, £1,750 / 31.1035 = £56.27 per gram; 7.32 g × £56.27 = £412 melt floor.

Gold Sovereign Weight & Specifications: The Reference

Every UK gold sovereign struck since 1817 weighs 7.988 g, measures 22.05 mm in diameter, and contains 7.32 g of pure 22-carat gold (0.2354 troy ounces). These specifications have been unchanged for over 200 years — one of the most consistent monetary standards in modern history. This guide covers every sovereign-family specification (quarter / half / sovereign / double / quintuple), the historical context, and how to use the specs as the foundation for sovereign authentication.

Last updated: 6 May 2026

In brief. Sovereign: 7.988 g, 22.05 mm, 1.52 mm thick, 22-carat (.9167), 7.32 g pure gold (0.2354 troy oz), face value £1. Specifications unchanged since 1817. Density 17.7 g/cm³ (the authentication-critical figure). Half sovereign: 3.99 g / 19.30 mm. Quarter sovereign: 1.997 g / 13.50 mm. Double sovereign (£2): 15.976 g / 28.40 mm. Quintuple sovereign (£5): 39.94 g / 36.02 mm.

Sovereign-family specifications table

Coin	Total weight	Pure gold	Diameter	Face value
Quarter sovereign (since 2009)	1.997 g	1.83 g (0.0588 oz)	13.50 mm	25p
Half sovereign	3.99 g	3.66 g (0.118 oz)	19.30 mm	50p
Sovereign	7.988 g	7.32 g (0.2354 oz)	22.05 mm	£1
Double sovereign (£2)	15.976 g	14.64 g (0.4708 oz)	28.40 mm	£2
Quintuple sovereign (£5)	39.94 g	36.61 g (1.177 oz)	36.02 mm	£5

All sovereigns are 22-carat gold (.9167 fineness, 91.67% pure gold + 8.33% copper alloy).

Featured sovereigns on MyCoinage

½ Sovereign - Elizabeth II 3rd portrait; Proof

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up to £7,155

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up to £1,588

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up to £1,300

1 Sovereign - Elizabeth II 5th portrait; Platinum Jubilee

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up to £1,128

1 Sovereign - Charles III

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Reviewed by Connor Jones, Editor. Every MyCoinage guide is fact-checked against realised auction sales before publication.

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