Between 1863 and 1880 silver and gold coins issued by the Royal Mint for circulation in the UK and its possessions had a die number inscribed on them. This followed similar limited experiments on halfpence and pennies in 1862 and 1863.
The following list of die numbers was based originally on an article in the COIN 1974 Year Book by Michael Mapleton. The publishers seem to have gone out of business, so I can only acknowledge them as the source of this information, which has been supplemented by information supplied directly to me by a considerable number of contributors, to whom I am most grateful.
The list is almost certainly not exhaustive. Information on numbers not already listed would be most gratefully received, but should not be construed as adding any value to the new find - no premium in value is applied to particular die numbers.
Numbers reported well away from the general run should be viewed with a degree of scepticism.
I am sure some of those said to be in the 80's are probably in the 30's.
The clarity of some die numbers leaves something to be desired, particularly on the sixpence.
The relatively small proportion of reported die numbers for the gold half sovereign and sovereign
can be put down to the fact that the high cost of these coins limits the numbers that are collected by numismatists.
The die letter is to be found to the left of the lighthouse. These are rare trial pieces that entered circulation.
1862: A, B, C
The die number is to be found below the date. These are rare trial pieces that entered circulation.
1863: 2, 3, 4
The die number is to be found just above the date on the reverse.
1864: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 9, 11 to 15, 17 to 20, 22 to 24, 26 to 28, 29, 31, 33, 34, 36 to 38, 41, 58
1865: 1, 4 to 9, 11 to 19, 21, 22, 24, 32
1866: none, 1 to 11, 13, 15 to 33, 34, 36, 38 to 49, 51, 54 to 56, 58, 59
1867: All numbers from 1 to 23.
1868: All numbers from 1 to 16.
1869: 1 to 7, 9 to 12, 14 to 17
1870: 2 to 8, 10, 19
1871: none, 1, 2, 5 to 8, 10 to 13, 15 to 18, 20 to 27, 29, 31, 35 to 39, 41 to 43, 47, 49, 50, 52, 53
1872: 1, 3 to 5, 7, 8, 11, 13 to 24, 26 to 29, 31 to 35, 37, 39 to 45, 48, 51, 52, 55 to 59, 61, 62, 67, 69 to 72, 74
1873: 1 to 6, 8 to 15, 17 to 21, 24, 26, 29, 31, 35, 36, 38 to 45, 47 to 49, 51 to 53, 59 to 65, 67, 73 to 76, 79, 81, 82, 85, 87, 88, 90 to 94, 97, 106, 115 to 118, 120, 121, 124
1874: 1 to 10, 12 to 16, 18 to 21, 23 to 28, 31, 32, 34, 35, 37, 40 to 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 51, 53 to 57, 59, 60
1875: 1, 2, 5, 7 to 15, 18, 21, 27, 30, 32, 33, 35 to 37, 43, 46, 51 to 54, 57 to 60, 62 to 67, 69 to 75, 77, 78, 84, 88
1876: 1, 2, 5 to 8, 11 to 13, 18 to 20, 22, 23, 29
1877: none, 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18 to 20, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31 to 35
1878: 1, 3 to 5, 6(DRITANNIAR), 7 to 9, 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 21, 26 to 30, 32, 37, 40, 43, 45, 47 to 53, 55 to 57, 59, 63, 65, 70
1879: none, 8, 9, 11 to 15, 21
The die number is to be found just above the date on the reverse.
1864: 1 to 7, 9 to 15, 18 to 20, 22, 23, 25, 27 to 30, 34, 35, 37, 39, 41(large 4), 45, 46, 48, 50, 51, 54, 55, 57 to 59, 62 to 66, 68, 72, 77, 78, 80
1865: 1, 2, 5 to 8, 10, 11, 17, 22 to 24, 27, 28, 29(5/3 overdate), 30 to 32, 34, 37 to 42, 44, 45, 47 to 50, 52, 54, 56 to 59, 61 to 64, 66, 68, 70,
72, 75, 77 to 80, 83, 85, 88, 92, 94, 99 to 101, 104 to 110, 113 to 119, 121, 124, 125, 130
1866: 1, 3, 4, 6 to 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22 to 24, 26 to 48, 50 to 52, 54, 55, 57 to 62, 63(BBITTANNIAR), 64 to 66, 68, 70
1867 (1866 type obverse): All numbers from 1 to 18
1867 (1868 type obverse): 17, 19 to 29, 31, 32, 35, 37 (& possibly 53, 55)
1868: 1 to 3, 5 to 19, 21 to 38, 40 to 42, 44, 47 to 51, 54 (& possibly 71). One example with no die number has been reported.
1869: All numbers from 1 to 15
1870: 1 to 12, 14 to 16, 18 to 20
1871: 1, 3, 5 to 19, 21, 23 to 28, 31 to 34, 36 to 48, 51 to 56
1872: 1 to 13, 15, 16, 18, 20 to 32, 34 to 39, 41, 42, 44 to 46, 48 to 50, 52 to 56, 61 to 63, 65 to 68, 70 to 73, 75 to 78, 80 to 88, 90, 91, 93, 94, 96 to 103,
105 to 108, 113, 116, 117, 119, 121, 122, 125 to 131, 135 to 139, 150, 151, 153, 155
1873: 1 to 6, 10 to 14, 16, 17, 19, 21 to 24, 26, 27, 30, 31, 34, 35, 37, 39 to 48, 50, 53 to 65, 67, 69 to 71, 73, 75, 76, 79, 83 to 89, 92 to 94, 96, 100, 101, 103,
105 to 107, 109 to 111, 113 to 115, 117 to 123, 125, 127 to 129, 131, 132, 135 to 137, 141
1874 (Crosslet 4): All numbers from 1 to 15
1874 (Plain 4): 16 to 19, 21 to 23, 26 to 28, 30, 31, 34 to 44, 46 to 50, 54 to 57, 60 to 70, 74, 76 (& possibly 87)
1875: 1 to 24, 27 to 30, 32 to 36, 38, 40 to 61, 64, 65, 67 to 72, 74, 84, 87
1876: 1 to 7, 9 to 18, 20, 21, 24 to 29, 33, 35, 36 (& possibly 46, 55)
1877: 1, 3 to 15, 17 to 19, 22, 25, 28 to 35, 37, 38, 40, 41, 43 to 45, 47 to 51, 52, 54 to 57, 59, 61, 64, 66, 69, 70 (& possibly 86)
1878 (1877 type obverse): 1 to 5, 7 to 18, 20, 23, 25 to 29, 31,33, 37, 40, 42 (the switch may at 40 rather than 44)
1878 (1879 type obverse): 44 to 60, 62 to 69, 74 to 76, 84
1879: none, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6(double H in shilling), 8 to 11, 14 to 17, 26, 28.
The 5/3 overdate for 1865 die 29 has been questioned as seemingly absent in one specimen.
The die number is to be found on the obverse under Victoria's bust just to the right of her brooch, except for some dies of 1877 where it is to the left.
1864 (mdccclxiv) : 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12, 17, 20, 24, 26, 30, 32 to 34, 37, 40, 44, 45, 47, 48, 50, 52, 54, 55, 60, 62 to 64, 68, 69, 71, 73
1865 (mdcccixv) : 1 to 4, 7, 10 to 12, 14 to 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 31 to 33, 39, 44, 44(colon), 45(colon), 46(colon), 49(colon), 65
1866 (mdccclxvi) : 1, 3, 4, 8, 10, 14, 15, 18 to 21, 23, 25, 26, 28 to 30
1867 (mdccclxvii) : 1 to 9
1868 (mdccclxviii) : 5 to 8, 12 to 15, 19, 20, 23 to 25, 27, 29, 30
1869 (mdccclxix) : 1 to 12, 14, 15, 17, 18
1870 (mdccclxx) : 1, 2, 5 to 11, 13, 15 to 18, 20 to 24, 35
1871 (mdccclxxi) : 3 to 5, 7 to 9, 12 to 14, 17 to 19, 21 to 23, 25 to 29, 33 to 35, 38 to 44, 46, 48 to 51, 53, 54, 57, 58, 60, 62, 63, 66
1872 (mdccclxxii) : 1, 7 to 10, 13, 14, 17, 21, 24, 30, 32, 35, 37, 38, 40 to 44, 46 to 48, 50 to 52, 53(or 55), 58, 60 to 66, 68 to 70,
72, 73, 75, 78, 81 to 83, 86 to 89, 91, 93, 95, 96, 98 to 107, 115, 119, 121, 125, 127, 130 to 132, 134, 141, 143 to145, 148, 149, 150, 154
1873 (mdccclxxiii) : 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26 to 28, 31, 51, 57, 60, 64, 65, 67, 70, 78, 79, 87, 90, 99, 101, 102 to 106,
108, 110, 115 to 116, 127 to 129, 131, 132, 134, 138, 140, 142 to 147, 151, 152, 154, 158, 161, 162, 166, 167, 171, 174 to 176, 185 to 188,
190, 191, 192, 196 to 198, 200 to 202, 206, 210, 213, 216, 219, 223, 225, 228, 233, 234, 244, 247, 248, 256, 258, 260 to 262
1874 (mdccclxxiv) : 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18, 25 to 29(iv over iii), 30(iv over iii), 32, 34, 37 to 39, 54 to 56, 58 to 60, 62
1875 (mdccclxxv) : 18 to 20, 24, 34, 41, 45, 48, 50, 51, 55 to 57, 59, 62, 64, 65, 67, 70, 72, 74, 78, 79, 83, 84, 86 to 88
1876 (mdccclxxvi) : 9, 12, 17, 19, 21, 25, 28, 30 to 33, 35, 36, 40, 45, 47
1877 (mdccclxxvii) : 4, 5, 7, 8, 15, 18, 19, 26, 27, 30, 35 to 36, 42, 56, 58, 59, 62, 68
1878 (mdccclxxviii): 2, 3, 7 to 9, 14, 16 to 19, 21, 23 to 29, 40 to 44, 55 to 58, 60 to 62, 65 to 67, 73, 76, 79, 85, 88, 89, 93, 95
The die number is to be found on the reverse under the wreath.
1863: 3, 7, 9
1864: 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 24, 27, 30, 31, 33, 36
1865: 3, 5, 12, 13, 19, 22, 26, 33, 37, 38, 39, 41
1866: 1, 2, 7, 9, 11, 13, 21, 24, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34, 55
1867: 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 21, 37
1869: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 13, 16, 18, 20, 25
1870: 5, 36, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44
1871: 5, 7, 9, 10, 17, 34, 61, 63, 64, 81 (die 10 has coarse border teeth on both sides; die 17 was used for proofs)
1872: 43, 50, 75, 79, 94, 100, 138, 141, 142, 143, 154, 168, 195, 198, 203, 212, 214, 245, 296, 320, 335, 338, 341, 346, 349, 380, 391
1873: 3, 8, 25, 65, 94, 147, 158, 171, 201, 222, 238, 241, 245, 275, 299, 300, 308, 309, 335
1874: 5, 8, 12, 26, 33, 45, 47, 74, 212, 342
1875: 5, 8, 23, 47, 72, 280
1876: 20, 25, 27, 30, 34, 37, 43, 44, 45, 49, 51, 52, 55, 58, 62, 65, 72, 73, 75, 79, 81, 83, 85, 88, 89, 98
1877: 11, 16, 25, 31, 37, 39, 46, 49, 51, 53, 54, 56, 58, 61, 66, 73, 85, 94, 97, 108, 109, 110, 120, 122, 124, 134, 136, 137, 139, 143, 150, 151, 155
1878: 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 15, 17, 20, 24, 25, 28, 30, 32, 37, 40, 46, 51, 53, 59, 65, 71, 72, 76, 78, 81, 98, 101, 105, 108, 113, 162
1879: 57, 88, 89, 119, 180
1880: 78, 103, 104, 111, 114, 115, 118, 119, 125, 129, 131
The die number is to be found on the reverse under the wreath. Rare proofs of the 1863 sovereign are known with a raised 827 on the truncation on the obverse; this is known with and without die 22 on the reverse. An even rarer 1864 sovereign has a raised 1 on the truncation to the left of an incuse WW
1863: none, 1, 2, 4, 6 to 8, 10 to 14, 18, 20, 22
1864: 2, 5 to 7, 9, 14, 16, 18, 23, 25 to 27, 29, 30, 32, 34 to 36, 38, 40, 42, 45, 48 to 51, 56, 57, 60 to 62, 64, 66, 71, 72, 74 to 76, 78, 80 to 82,
84 to 87, 89 to 93, 96, 98 to 102, 104, 105
1865: 1, 3, 6, 10 to 15, 17, 18, 20 to 22, 26, 28, 32, 33, 35
1866: 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31, 36, 38, 40 to 42, 44, 47, 48, 50, 52, 54 to 58, 63, 65, 66, 69, 70, 73 to 75, 77, 78
1868: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 16, 17, 19, 22, 26, 27, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 38
1869: 4 to 12, 14 to 17, 19, 21, 22, 25 to 34, 36 to 48, 50, 54, 57, 58, 60, 62, 64
1870: 1, 34, 80 to 82, 84, 86 to 88, 93, 94, 96, 115, 116, 119 to 121, 123
1871: 1, 2, 4 to 6, 9 to 15, 17 to 19, 21, 22, 24 to 26, 28 to 33, 35 to 38, 41, 47, 48, 51, 58, 60, 61, 66, 67, 72, 73, 75, 78, 97, 98,
101 to 103, 105, 108, 110
1872: none, 2 to 10, 12 to 14, 17 to 19, 21 to 25, 27, 28, 33, 37 to 39, 45, 49, 50 to 53, 55, 56, 58 to 61,
66 to 69, 73 to 76, 80, 81, 86, 87, 89 to 91, 93 to 95, 98 to 100, 102, 104 to 106, 108, 109, 111, 112
1873: 1, 2, 4 to 6, 8 to 12, 14, 17, 18, 20, 24, 103, (& possibly 163, which may be a misread 103)
1874: 12, 14, 15, 28, 32 to 35, (& possibly 98, which may be a misread 28)
From 1871 to 1874 sovereigns were also issued with a St.George reverse. None of these have die numbers. Also from 1871 to 1887 sovereigns with a shield reverse were issued by the mints at Melbourne and Sydney. These have an M or S mintmark below the shield, and no die number.
See my Main Coins Index page for acknowledgements
My particular thanks go to the enormous number of collectors who have reported unlisted die numbers over many years. It could well be possible that all the missing ones are out there somewhere!
Main Coins Index.
UK Coin Values Index.
