In 1257 the English king Henry III (1216-1272) some time minted «Golden penny» in imitation of the Florentine gold coin («Florin»). «Golden penny» was equated to 20 silver пенсам, but soon the coin was withdrawn from circulation. At the present time it is known only 7 copies of this coin, three of them are kept in the British музее.Стоимость gold in Europe has been steadily increasing, and substantial English coins went to the continent. In 1412 year English king Henry IV (1399-1413) reduced the content of precious metals: gold in the coins on 10 %, silver - by 16 %. The new noble's Henry IV became weigh now 108 grains (7 grams).
In 1464 king Edward IV (year of the reign of - 1461-70 and 1471-83) once again reduced the content of gold in the coins, at the same time, the cost of gold coins (in silver пенсах) has increased.
The value of the previously issued noble has increased from 80 to 100 pence (8 shillings 4 pence), respectively, increased the price of the other gold coins (полнобля cost 50 pence, and so on).
In 1957, chasing sovereigns resumed for the purposes of international trade and continued until 1982. At the present time gold sovereigns minted in the collector's version.

The design of the sovereigns of 2007 is somewhat different from all the previous coins - image shift has become more like the classic version of Benedetto Пеструччи used them for the crown, 1818.