Schoolboy's delight as he is handed 22ct GOLD SOVEREIGN instead of £1 coin

[Serpo]

Change of fortune: Schoolboy's delight as he is handed 22ct GOLD SOVEREIGN instead of £1 coin

Robert Hunt was given the Victorian coin in his change while out shopping in Glasgow
He has had it valued at £200 by auctioneers Lyon & Turnbull
The 12-year-old has said he will spend the money on computer games
Remarkably, the coin is not worn in any way

By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
PUBLISHED: 20:42 GMT, 8 February 2013 | UPDATED: 21:17 GMT, 8 February 2013


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A youngster is quids in after receiving a rare gold sovereign in his change - worth £200.

Robert Hunt, 12, was mistakenly handed the Victorian age coin by a cashier while out shopping.

And after taking it to auctioneers Lyon & Turnball the teenager was over the moon when they valued it at such a high price.


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/02/08/article-2275824-176F39AB000005DC-162_634x535.jpg Delighted: Robert Hunt was over the moon to have been handed a Victorian coin that has been valued at £200

Today Robert, from Glasgow, said: 'I had been shopping and I noticed that I had been given a very different coin in my change, I knew it wasn't a pound and I thought maybe it was a foreign coin.

'I took it home and showed it to my Dad. He thought it was a sovereign and we decided to take it to Lyon & Turnbull.


'When they said it was worth probably £200 I couldn't believe it.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/02/08/article-2275824-176F3D31000005DC-121_306x379.jpg Eye on the prize: Robert plans to spend the proceeds of his find on computer games

The original English gold sovereign was last minted in 1604 but the name was used again with the minting of new sovereigns in 1817.

These new sovereign coins (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2275824/Robert-Hunt-12-handed-Victorian-coin-change-shopping-Glasgow.html#) were minted in the United Kingdom from 1817 to 1917, in 1925, and from 1957.

Robert's sovereign will be sold at Lyon & Turnbull's Silver and Jewellery Sale which will be held in Edinburgh in March March 2013.

Colin Fraser, specialist at Lyon & Turnbull, said: 'This is a fine example of a Victorian gold sovereign from the 1890's.

'It is in good condition and is not worn in any way.

'It mustn't have been in general circulation very much.

'It is the first time I have heard of anyone finding one in their change.'

Robert added: 'I am looking forward to the auction (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2275824/Robert-Hunt-12-handed-Victorian-coin-change-shopping-Glasgow.html#) and I will save most of the money I make, but I am going to spend some of it on buying computer games.'

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/02/08/article-2275824-176F3E43000005DC-385_634x616.jpg Timeless: Robert couldn't believe his luck when he spotted he had been given a gold sovereign in his change when he was out shopping



http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/02/08/article-2275824-176F3D0C000005DC-206_634x535.jpg Valuable: The eagle-eyed youngster spotted that this was certainly not a £1 coin



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[Bigjon]

Old Sovereigns (http://www.goldsovereigns.co.uk/oldsovereigns.html)
In 1957, the Bank of England started once again to issue gold sovereigns. To distinguish between the previous issues, which would in many cases seen circulation, and the new, mint condition coins, all the earlier sovereigns were termed by dealers as "old" sovereigns, as distinct from "new" sovereigns.
"Kings"
The sovereigns of Edward VII and George V were known as king sovereigns or "Kings", while those of Queen Victoria were sometimes called "Victorias", "Vics" or Vickies".

Victorias
Victorian sovereigns actually divide up into three different heads, and two different reverse types, making four major types in all. These are:-
Young Head - Shield Reverse. These were known as "Shields".
Young Head - St. George & Dragon Reverse. These were usually just called "Young Heads"
Jubilee Head - St. George & Dragon Reverse. Usually called "Jubilees".
Old Head - St. George & Dragon Reverse. Called "Old Heads".
Jargon
The above terms may not have been in common use by the majority of the population, but were the jargon used by bullion dealers including international banks, and also by collectors.

"New" Sovereigns
Dealers jargon which has now become outdated.


Notes

The fine gold content of a sovereign is 0.2354 troy ounces.

[madfranks]

Since when is a 12 year old a teenager? And spending the proceeds on computer games? His parents ought to be ashamed.

[Serpo]

Since when is a 12 year old a teenager? And spending the proceeds on computer games? His parents ought to be ashamed.

Games are so much better than keeping the coin haha, a factor he hasnt seemed to of considered(keeping it)

[willie pete]

Since when is a 12 year old a teenager? And spending the proceeds on computer games? His parents ought to be ashamed.

Robert added: 'I am looking forward to the auction (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2275824/Robert-Hunt-12-handed-Victorian-coin-change-shopping-Glasgow.html#) and I will SAVE most of the money I make, but I am going to spend SOME of it on buying computer games.'

let's hope his parents hold him to it...not sure why they said it's worth around £200, that's only $315, spot today on it would be $392.45

[Cebu_4_2]

How much is that in frns these days?

[Cebu_4_2]

Willie your a day late and a dollar short!!

:D

[osoab]

Robert added: 'I am looking forward to the auction (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2275824/Robert-Hunt-12-handed-Victorian-coin-change-shopping-Glasgow.html#) and I will SAVE most of the money I make, but I am going to spend SOME of it on buying computer games.'

let's hope his parents hold him to it...not sure why they said it's worth around £200, that's only $315, spot today on it would be $392.45

Probably what he will end up with after Lyon & Turnbull get their cut.