Along with the accession of Charles as our new king last year, his son, William, became the new Prince of Wales. With characteristic sensitivity, he accepted the role without a formal investiture ceremony, mindful of the fact that for many in Wales the title remains contentious. He has spoken of it as a great honour, pledging to serve Wales with humility and great respect for its people.
In our modern era, the title ‘Prince of Wales’ is no longer a title of authority but one of ceremony, and although there was no formal investiture event, the fact that William is now the 23rd Prince of Wales deserves to be recognised. His wife Catherine, or ‘Kate’ as she is often known, is now the Princess of Wales, the first to use that title since William’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
To celebrate the new Prince & Princess of Wales, for the first time in over 200 years of gold sovereign history, coins have been minted from 22 carat gold that includes a trace amount of rare Welsh gold in the mixture. Gold sourced from the mines in Wales is highly prized, and very rare, and it has a long and proud association with the Royal Family.
Introducing the 2023 Prince and Princess of Wales Gold Sovereign Range…
These new Prince & Princess of Wales sovereign coins are of great significance, and different coins in the series have different features, so here’s a brief snapshot of their most important benefits:
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This is the very first time that sovereign coins have incorporated rare Welsh gold in the minting process. Welsh gold is so rare that only tiny quantities are used in the gold mixture when crafting gold items. Although these coins include only a trace amount (less than 1%) it is the fact that Welsh gold is included that is significant.
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The one-eighth sovereign and sovereign are special as they are the first gold coins to depict both the new Prince, and Princess, of Wales. Catherine is only the second Princess of Wales in history to be celebrated on a gold sovereign coin, the first being William’s mother, Diana, some years ago.
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The half sovereign and quarter sovereign are special too as they are in tribute only to Prince William. This creates two exceptional coins as with his father King Charles III on the other side they are the first of their kind ever to depict a reigning British king and his heir on either side of the same coin.
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In a rare occurrence, both sides of the coins have been designed by the same artist, Jody Clark, whose masterful hand has perfectly captured their likenesses.
These exceptional portraits have been beautifully rendered by the most accomplished and skilled coin portrait designer alive today – Jody Clark. As the youngest designer to have created a definitive coinage portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, he is admired worldwide for the simplicity, refinement and detailed observation in his designs.
So, although there will be no formal ceremony marking the conferring of these titles, this series of first-of-a-kind gold sovereigns is a worthy commemoration of this centuries-old royal tradition.
You can purchase the one-eighth sovereign coin HERE, or alternatively, you can contact our sovereign experts on 0333 234 3103.
