What it would buy in today's money
Because prices have risen so much, a sovereign bought far more in the past than its decimal value suggests:
| Year | A sovereign in 2025 prices |
|---|---|
| 1850 | £189.12 |
| 1900 | £172.67 |
| 1938 | £94.56 |
| 1950 | £48.14 |
| 1960 | £32.35 |
| 1970 | £21.73 |
About the sovereign
The modern gold sovereign, first struck in 1817, was worth one pound. Its design of St George and the dragon by Benedetto Pistrucci is still used. Sovereigns stopped being everyday money after the First World War but are still minted as gold coins today. Their gold makes them worth far more than £1.
When it went: Still made today for collectors and investors.
Quick facts
| Value | £1 (20s) |
| Decimal equivalent | £1 |
| Nickname | quid |
| Per pound | 1 |
Today's values use the ONS composite price index (Open Government Licence v3.0).
Common questions
How much was a sovereign worth in decimal money?
A sovereign was worth £1 (20s), which is £1 in decimal money.
How many sovereigns were in a pound?
There were 1 sovereigns in a pound.
What would a sovereign from 1950 be worth today?
About £48.14 in 2025 prices, based on ONS price data.
Other old coins
Farthing · Halfpenny · Penny · Threepenny bit · Sixpence · Shilling · Florin · Half crown · Crown · Ten-shilling note · Guinea