SOVEREIGN CONTAINER

Coins are one of the worlds oldest types of currency, though the worlds first coins were very basic . They first began to appear in the ancient world and by the time of the Roman and Greek civilisations, coins were being issued in a range of denominations with quite sophisticated designs. With coins being used instead of older systems such as barter, people needed a way to carry and store their money and the coin holder appeared on the scene.

Sovereign cases, or sovereign holders, were highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were small portable boxes usually in cylindrical shape and made from various metals with snap shut covers to contain the coin. This one is kept safe by being attached to a fob chain.

The story of the gold Sovereign that we know today is just over 200 years old. The coin was first struck for use as common currency in Britain in 1817. It was part of the Great Recoinage of 1816, which followed Britain's financial reconstruction after the Napoleonic Wars.
During the First World War, the Sovereign - like most gold and silver coins - was gradually withdrawn. Their precious metal content was used by the government to fund trade in support of the war effort. Circulating coins were gradually switched to cheaper metals, and the Sovereign was replaced by paper one pound notes.