Obverse: identify the front

Victoria faces left with a small crown, veil, earrings and draped clothing. The longer bust and royal jewelry distinguish the Jubilee portrait from the earlier young head. The Latin legend follows the rim. The Met records Joseph Edgar Boehm as the portrait artist on its 1887 proof specimen.

Reverse: identify the back

St George rides a rearing horse above a fallen dragon, with a flowing cape and the date 1887 in the lower field. This is Pistrucci’s rider design. The related Jubilee half sovereign has a different denomination and may have a shield reverse; confirm the full-sovereign dimensions rather than matching only the queen’s face.

History and purpose

The Jubilee portrait began in 1887, the fiftieth anniversary of Victoria’s accession. Royal Mint references place this portrait group in 1887–1893 before the veiled-head transition. The coin date refers to the issue, while the anniversary refers to the reign; those are different historical dates.

How to identify this variant

Look for the small crown and long draped bust, then the rider reverse and complete date. A full sovereign has a reference diameter of 22.05 mm and the documented standard mass, not the smaller half-sovereign size. These coins do not display a prominent one-pound face-value numeral, making physical denomination checks useful.

Understanding its metal content

The calculation is 7.98805 g × 11 ÷ 12 = approximately 7.322379 g fine gold. Divide that result by 31.1034768 to obtain approximately 0.235420 troy oz. Eleven-twelfths is the 22/24 carat fraction; the database stores a rounded decimal fraction and a fine-weight override calculated from the rational standard. The remainder is alloy metal, not extra gold. This is nominal content, not an assay of a worn or mounted specimen.

Dates, varieties and composition changes

Young-head and Jubilee coins overlap in 1887; Jubilee and veiled-head attribution requires care around 1893. Mint marks and portrait or legend details must be checked against the exact issue. A reflective surface alone does not establish a proof, and a reference proof photograph does not identify another coin’s finish.

Melt value versus collector value

Keep proofs, original packaging and certified pieces individually identified. The representative proof is in a museum collection with its own accession record. Its surfaces and attribution cannot grade another specimen. Nominal gold content remains separate from issue rarity, preservation and collector demand.

Authenticity and condition

Examine the portrait, letters, date, rider details and physical measurements together. Check the actual edge rather than inferring it from two face photos; issuer descriptions identify the standard 1887 proof as milled. Preserve holders and avoid polishing or destructive tests when resolving an uncertain identification.

Selling this coin

Separate full sovereigns from halves and record the date, mint mark and finish evidence. Both-side images should show the entire rim and lower date. A packaging or certificate photo can support an appraisal request without asserting a grade from the museum reference.

Sources and calculation methodology

The original 1870 schedule records the historical denomination standard; the 1971 schedule gives the same metric standard and eleven-twelfths gold fraction. The issuer’s coin pages use shorter display weights, which are retained as rounded references rather than substituted into the standard calculation. Historical legislation is cited for specifications, not current legal or tax advice. Design and date sources are recorded separately from photograph rights. No approved live gold-price feed is configured, so dollar melt values remain unavailable. Collector prices and buyer offers require separate evaluation.

Common questions

References

• Royal Mint: exact photographed denomination and design context — identity; dates Jubilee introduction 1887; design Joseph Edgar Boehm portrait with small crown (checked 2026-10-10)
• Historical Coinage Act 1870: first schedule — identity; weight 7.98805 g historical metric standard; fineness eleven-twelfths; denomination standard, not a current legal claim (checked 2026-10-10)
• Original Coinage Act 1971: Schedule 1, gold standards — weight 7.98805 g; fineness eleven-twelfths fine gold; rational fine-weight calculation; PDF page 10 (checked 2026-10-10)
• Royal Mint: Jubilee portrait date group — dates Jubilee 1887–1893 and veiled portrait introduced 1893; design distinctions (checked 2026-10-10)
• Royal Mint: 1887 proof design and edge — identity; design rider and dragon; date 1887; milled edge on described proof (checked 2026-10-10)
• Royal Mint: full-sovereign size reference — identity; diameter full sovereign 22.05 mm; shorter display weight 7.98 g (checked 2026-10-10)
• Met collection: photographed Jubilee proof — identity; date 1887 proof; design Boehm obverse and Pistrucci reverse; accession 2000.601.11; image marked Public Domain; rounded museum diameter 21 mm not used as issuer standard (checked 2026-10-10)

Issue-year references

• PCGS: British Victoria sovereign dates by portrait
• PCGS: Australian Victoria sovereign dates by design and mint

Content maintained by CashForCoins. Last substantive record update: 2026-10-10. Report a specification or attribution issue through our contact page.

Related coins

Victoria Young Head Gold Sovereign

Photo credits and rights on the linked coin profile.

United Kingdom • 22-carat gold: eleven-twelfths gold and one-twelfth alloy metal

Issue years: 1838–1839, 1841–1866, 1868–1887

Fine gold: 0.235420 troy oz

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Victoria Veiled Head Gold Sovereign

Photo credits and rights on the linked coin profile.

United Kingdom • 22-carat gold: eleven-twelfths gold and one-twelfth alloy metal

Issue years: 1893–1901

Fine gold: 0.235420 troy oz

Add to collection