Live value of UK gold Sovereign, half Sovereign and Britannia coins, priced from the live spot rate — plus the Capital Gains Tax exemption that makes them a popular UK-specific choice.
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Total value (GBP)
Price per coin
Weight & purity
Gold Coin Prices UK Today
Coin
Weight
Purity
Value (GBP)
Full Sovereign
7.98805g
22 carat (916)
—
Half Sovereign
3.99403g
22 carat (916)
—
Britannia (1oz)
31.1035g
24 carat (999.9)
—
Are Gold Sovereigns Tax-Free in the UK?
For UK residents, one of the main reasons Sovereigns, half-Sovereigns and Britannias are popular over other bullion is that gains on UK legal tender coins are generally exempt from Capital Gains Tax — they're treated as sterling currency rather than a chargeable asset, regardless of how much the coin has risen in value. A South African Krugerrand or a gold bar, by contrast, doesn't carry this exemption since it isn't UK legal tender.
This is general information, not personal tax advice. Your own position can depend on residency, whether you deal in coins as a trade, and current HMRC rules — confirm with HMRC or an accountant before relying on it.
Sovereign vs Half Sovereign vs Britannia
The Sovereign (7.98805g, 22 carat/916) has been minted since 1817 and is the classic UK gold coin, with the half Sovereign its smaller counterpart at exactly half the gold content. The Britannia is a newer, purer alternative — 24 carat (999.9 fine), usually sold as a 1 troy oz coin — aimed squarely at investors who want minimal alloy. All three are UK legal tender and share the same CGT treatment for UK residents.
A full Sovereign weighs 7.98805g at 22 carat (916, 91.6% pure) gold — the same purity used in South Asian wedding jewellery, though the Sovereign is a UK-minted legal tender coin rather than a piece of jewellery.
For UK residents, gains on UK legal tender gold coins — including Sovereigns, half-Sovereigns and Britannias minted by the Royal Mint — are generally exempt from Capital Gains Tax, because they count as sterling currency rather than a chargeable asset. This is general information, not personal tax advice; confirm your own position with HMRC or an accountant, especially if you deal in coins as a trade or aren't UK tax resident.
No — the South African Krugerrand is not UK legal tender, so it does not qualify for the same CGT exemption as Sovereigns or Britannias. This distinction is a common reason UK buyers specifically choose UK-minted coins for investment.
A Sovereign is 22 carat gold (916) weighing 7.98805g, with a long numismatic history dating to 1817. A Britannia is 24 carat (999.9 fine) gold, typically sold in 1 troy oz size, introduced more recently as a pure-gold investment coin. Both are UK legal tender and both benefit from the same CGT exemption for UK residents.
Transparency & Methodology
GP
Gold Price Per Gram UK
Independent, Open-Source Live Tracker
An independent calculator that pulls a live gold spot price and applies the standard troy-ounce-to-gram conversion deterministically — no manual price entry, no AI estimate.
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Prices are the live interbank/wholesale spot rate sourced from goldapi.io, not a retail dealer quote. See the full methodology for the exact formula and update schedule.
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