Sovereign: Mary Enthroned (obverse); Shield of Royal Arms on a Tudor Rose (reverse)

Upon ascending the throne, Mary announced that she would restore the coinage to its full value. This sovereign of thirty shillings is of standard gold, 23 carats, 3 1/2 grains. The fine silver pieces of the reign were in metal, 11 oz. fine. These coins are thus of the same fineness as were those of Edward VI; the silver is, in fact, 1 dwt. poorer. This coin is rare and similar to another in the collection from Edward VI, 1969.177 . Mary I was the only Tudor monarch to include dates on a sovereign. Roman numerals at the end of the obverse inscription read 1553.