The 1893 Gold Sovereign represents an important turning point in Victorian coinage, becoming the first Sovereign to feature the final official portrait of Queen Victoria. This example has been authenticated and encapsulated by NGC with the designation AU Details – Cleaned, indicating About Uncirculated-level detail with cleaning noted by the grading service. Often referred to as the Veiled Head or Old Head portrait, the new effigy was introduced in 1893 and remained on British coinage throughout the final years of Victoria's reign.

The obverse features Sir Thomas Brock's portrait of the Queen, depicting an older Victoria wearing a veil and small crown. Introduced more than half a century after she ascended the throne in 1837, the portrait reflected the Queen in the later years of a reign that had transformed Britain. The reverse features Benedetto Pistrucci's iconic depiction of Saint George slaying the dragon, one of the most enduring designs in British numismatic history.

Struck in 22-carat gold to the traditional Sovereign specification, the 1893 issue is particularly significant as the inaugural year of Queen Victoria's Veiled Head Sovereign. Combining an important first-year portrait with Pistrucci's celebrated reverse, it represents a significant piece from the closing chapter of the Victorian era.

Specification

Country: United Kingdom
Monarch: Victoria (1837–1901)
Year: 1893
Denomination: Sovereign
Metal: Gold (22 Carat)
Fineness: 916.7
Weight: 7.98g
Diameter: 22.05mm
Grade: NGC AU Details – Cleaned
Obverse: Queen Victoria Veiled Head Portrait
Obverse Designer: Sir Thomas Brock RA
Reverse: Saint George and the Dragon
Reverse Designer: Benedetto Pistrucci