Royal Mint offers draw to buy rare 1916 sovereign

The Royal Mint has announced an exclusive opportunity for coin enthusiasts to acquire a rare piece of First World War history — a George V 1916 Canada Sovereign, available through a ballot, with one selected entrant offered the chance to purchase the coin for £30,000 (about $54,000 Cdn).

Graded by PCGS as Mint-State 62, this exceptional coin has a Trends value of $40,000-plus.

The Royal Mint is offering collectors a rare chance to purchase a 1916 Canada Sovereign through a special draw.

The 1916 Canada Sovereign, struck at the Ottawa Mint, is among the rarest of its kind with a mintage of just 6,119 coins. Yet only about 50 examples are believed to have survived, as most of the original mintage was “lost” under mysterious circumstances. Theories about the missing coins often tie to wartime events, suggesting they were either lost during transatlantic shipments from Canada to the UK or melted down to finance the United States’ support in the First World War.

Lucy Mackenzie, director of collector services at The Royal Mint, emphasized the intrigue surrounding the coin, stating, “This coin is so appealing due to the mystery which surrounds its past. Whilst many theories have circulated, we are delighted to be able to offer one lucky coin collector the opportunity to own one of the only accounted-for 1916 Canada Sovereigns in the world.”

The ballot, which began on Oct. 30 and closes on Nov. 15, will result in one randomly selected participant who will have the exclusive opportunity to buy this historic coin. Further details are available on The Royal Mint’s website.

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