Queen Victoria Effigies Half Sovereign Set – Young Head, Jubilee Head & Old Head
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CGT & VAT exempt for UK residents
14-day return policy
One woman, three faces, and two details most three-portrait sets don't have. This boxed set brings together one half sovereign from each of Queen Victoria's three coinage portraits — Young Head, Jubilee Head and Old Head — across three coins: 1872, 1892 and 1900. It captures the only reverse design change the half sovereign saw during her entire 64-year reign, and along the way turned up an individually numbered die variety and a genuine branch-mint rarity.
Three Portraits, One Reign
Crowned at just eighteen, Victoria's first coinage portrait was the Young Head, designed by William Wyon RA and used from 1838 to 1886. This set's 1872 half sovereign carries that portrait on the obverse, paired with the crowned shield reverse by J.B. Merlen — and is individually die-numbered 372, stamped between the rose and the wreath at the base of the shield. The Royal Mint numbered reverse dies on half sovereigns between 1863 and 1880 as an internal quality-control measure, letting individual dies be tracked; each numbered die is its own documented variety among collectors.
To mark her Golden Jubilee in 1887, the Royal Mint introduced Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm's Jubilee Head. Unlike the full sovereign, the half sovereign kept its shield reverse through this change — this set's 1892 coin still carries the Merlen-style crowned shield, not St George.
The Old Head, also known as the Veiled Head, followed in 1893 — Thomas Brock RA's portrait of an older Victoria in crown and veil, struck until her death in 1901. This was the year the half sovereign finally switched reverse too: this set's 1900 coin carries Benedetto Pistrucci's St George and the Dragon. It's also a Sydney Mint issue, carrying the small "S" mint mark — Sydney struck just 260,000 half sovereigns in 1900, a fraction of London's output that year, and well-preserved examples are genuinely scarce.
Presentation
Supplied boxed as a three-coin set. Coins are in genuinely circulated, collector-grade condition rather than third-party graded — this set is about completing the portrait and design story across a reign, not chasing a registry grade.
Specifications (each coin)
| Denomination | Half Sovereign |
| Diameter | 19.30mm |
| Weight | 3.99g |
| Fineness | 22 carat (.9167) |
| Gold content (each) | 0.1177 troy oz |
| Total gold content (set of 3) | 0.3531 troy oz |
Coins in This Set
| 1872 | Young Head (William Wyon RA) / Shield reverse (J.B. Merlen) / London / Die number 372 |
| 1892 | Jubilee Head (Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm) / Shield reverse / London |
| 1900 | Old Head / Veiled Head (Thomas Brock RA) / St George & the Dragon (Benedetto Pistrucci) / Sydney Mint (S) / Mintage 260,000 |
Tax Status
As UK legal tender, every coin in this set is 100% VAT-free and exempt from Capital Gains Tax under HMRC manual CG78308 — the exemption applies equally to the Sydney Mint 1900 coin, exactly as it does to the two London-struck pieces.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Delivery Information
We offer free insured delivery across the UK on all orders. Every coin is carefully inspected, securely packaged, and sent using Royal Mail Special Delivery - a fully tracked, next-day service that requires a signature on receipt.
All parcels are shipped discreetly and fully insured for peace of mind.
We currently do not ship internationally. Orders can only be delivered to the UK address provided at checkout, and we’re unable to send to PO Box addresses.
We aim to dispatch all orders within one business day of receiving cleared payment. Once your order has been dispatched, you’ll receive tracking details so you can monitor its progress.
Returns Policy
For non-bullion items (such as proof coins, graded coins or accessories), we’re happy to accept returns within 14 days of receipt if you feel your coin is not as described and provided the item is returned in its original condition, please contact us and we’ll be glad to help.
If an item is returned for reasons other than being not as described, return postage will be the responsibility of the buyer.
Important Notes
- All returns must be pre-authorised by our customer service team.
- Please use a tracked and insured service when sending items back to us, as we cannot accept liability for goods lost or damaged in transit.
- For full details, please see our Terms & Conditions or contact us directly with any questions.
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Please note that we do not accept credit cards. This policy helps us keep prices competitive and ensures all transactions remain low-risk and fully traceable.
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Every payment method we accept is fully secure, encrypted and protected. Once payment is confirmed, your order will be prepared for dispatch within one business day.
Yes. Every NGC-certified coin has a unique certification number visible on the slab label. You can verify the grade, coin details and population data at NGCcoin.uk using the cert number shown.
The NGC census records how many examples of each coin have been graded at each level. A Top Pop coin means no other example has achieved a higher grade — making it the finest certified specimen in existence for that issue.
Yes. If you have existing graded sovereigns you'd like to trade towards a purchase, contact us for a bespoke cost-to-change valuation.