1847 Great Britain Gold Sovereign NGC AU-55 Ex.RMS Douro

Ex.RMS Douro Victoria gold Sovereign. NGC Census of 43 coins with 76 finer - which includes both shipwreck and non-shipwreck items. A total of 173 have been graded and encapsulated by NGC. In his acclaimed reference work The Gold Sovereign (2017 edition), Michael A. Marsh listed a market value of $2,000 for the 1847 issue. By comparison, spot gold in 2017 ranged from a low of $1,150 to a high of $1,349 per ounce, putting the bullion value of a common-date sovereign at approximately $270–$317. This made the published price for the rarer 1847 sovereign roughly 6–8 times higher than that of the most commonly traded dates.

Struck during Queen Victoria’s early reign, the coin features the Young Head portrait paired with the shield reverse, a design associated with Britain’s expanding industrial and imperial confidence. Certified NGC AU55, it retains strong remaining detail, with light circulation evident before its ill-fated voyage. Subtle surface characteristics hint at its long submersion, distinguishing it visually from standard examples of the date.

More than a type or date coin, this sovereign represents interrupted motion—gold minted to move through the world, abruptly claimed by the sea. Its recovery reconnects modern collectors with a specific moment of loss, recovery, and survival that few sovereigns can credibly claim.