In 1988 the Royal Mint released a very Limited Issue solid 22 Carat Gold Proof Sovereign 3 Coin Set and includes the £2 Double Sovereign, Full Sovereign, Half Sovereign all struck in solid 22 Carat Gold.

During striking, the highly polished dies exert enormous pressure on the gold coin blank with at least two separate blows ensuring the impression has extra clarity. The mirror effect of the background complements perfectly the frosted relief of the design.

These features are the culmination of traditional craftmanship derived from 300 years of minting Proof Coins at the Royal Mint.
The first coin to become known as a Sovereign was a Twenty Shilling coin struck during the reign of Henry VII. In its present form, however, the Sovereign was not minted until 1817, when its was reintroduced with the accompanying Half Sovereign by George III.

The 1988 Gold Proof Set is of significant interest to collectors of United Kingdom coinage as, this year, the Two Pound reverts to the long established Benedetto Pistrucci design, replacing the 1986 Commonwealth Games commemorative issue.
The design portraying St George Slaying The Dragon appears on the reverse of all three coins in this collection.

First appearing on the Sovereign of 1817, this design has been used continuously since 1893 on all United Kingdom gold coins, with the exception of the special issue Two Pounds of 1986. It is therefore, one of the oldest designs on modern coinage.

The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II by sculptor Raphael Maklouf, whose initials can be seen on the truncation of the portrait.
These legal tender coins have been struck to the highest Proof Quality using specially selected blanks and highly polished dies.

• Limited Mintage of 11,192 Sets Worldwide
• Finished to Royal Mint's Proof Quality
• Sovereign Gold Proof 3 Coin Set Struck in Solid 22 Carat Gold
• Includes the £2 Two Pound Double Sovereign, Full Sovereign and Half Sovereign
• Features St George Slaying the Dragon Designed by Benedetto Pistrucci
• Royal Mint Boxed with Certificate of Authenticity (Cert Number Might be Different than Shown)