§ Mrs. LawrenceTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if her Majesty's Government plan to issue a gold sovereign of new design in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. [14307]
§ Mr. Gordon BrownHer Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve my recommendation that next year a design showing the Royal Arms within a wreath of laurel should appear on the reverse of the gold sovereign.
The design is inspired by that on sovereigns struck during the first 50 years of the reign of Queen Victoria and for numismatists there will accordingly be a pleasing link between Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee of 1887 and next year's Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. The new design, whose use will be extended to half-sovereigns, double-sovereigns and five-pound pieces, will be adopted only for the Jubilee year, after which the regular design of St. George and the Dragon will be restored.
It is expected that coins with the new design will be available for sale from early next year.