1914-1918 George V Sovereigns

[Serendipity]

1914-1918 George V Sovereigns

 

I recently purchased these First World War sovereigns online from Chards. Sovereigns issued during the First World War are significant to collectors and none more so than the 1914 and 1918 issues which are frequently paired together in collections to mark the beginning and end of the Great War. T.E. Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, was a British scholar, writer and soldier who mobilised the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War and wrote about his wartime exploits in The Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1926). Gold sovereigns were used by Lawrence to sway Arab tribes to join the Allied fight and as a bounty for Arabs who returned any downed Allied airmen to safety. 

The war impacted on the sovereign - eventually being removed from circulation and replaced by banknotes, but it was still struck throughout the First World War, mostly in overseas branch mints. Due to its single year production, the Bombay Mint sovereign is generally the most sought-after issue for 1918. At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 the gunfire finally ceased. This brought to an end over 4 years of fighting that had accounted for over 17 million military and civilian lives. George V’s reign saw the rise of socialism, communism, fascism, Irish republicanism, and the Indian independence movement, all of which radically changed the political landscape.

DESCRIPTION

George V (1910-36), gold sovereign, 1914 M, Melbourne Mint, Australia, bare head left, B.M. raised on truncation for engraver Bertram Mackennal, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT:OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP: (“George V, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britons, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India”), rev. struck en médaille, St. George on horseback slaying dragon with sword right, plumed helmet with three-strand streamer, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, tiny WWP raised under lance for Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, mint mark M at centre of ground-line, date in exergue, tiny B.P. raised in upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled (Marsh 232; M.C.E. 642; S.3999). Almost extremely fine. Calendar year mintage 2,012,029.

George V (1910-36), gold sovereign, 1918 I, Bombay Mint, India, bare head left, B.M. raised on truncation for engraver Bertram Mackennal, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT:OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP: (“George V, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britons, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India”), rev. struck en médaille, St. George on horseback slaying dragon with sword right, plumed helmet with three-strand streamer, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, tiny WWP raised under lance for Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, mint mark I at centre of ground-line, date in exergue, tiny B.P. raised in upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled (Marsh 228; S.3998). Obverse good very fine,  reverse almost extremely fine. Calendar year mintage 1,294,372.

State portrait of George V by Sir Luke Fildes, 1911.

Portrait of T. E. Lawrence by Augustus John, 1919. Tate Modern, London.

First World War propaganda poster featuring the sovereign, July 1915.