The Royal Mint has announced they have acquired a rare, 500-year-old, gold Sovereign and the coin will be put up for auction next month. The Royal Mint's historic coin experts have sourced a Type 2 Henry VII Sovereign, one of a select few in the world that are not held by a museum. The Henry VII Fine Gold Sovereign of Twenty Shillings is the earliest gold Sovereign a collector can own and there are only two examples in private ownership, making it a rare and historic addition to a collection. Struck more than 500 years ago, this rare coin was created to assert the authority of the first Tudor king of England through its splendour and impressive weight and size. Bids will open at £950,000 for the sought-after coin. Famous for making coins, The Royal Mint successfully expanded into the sale of rare, historic coins two years ago. The company now helps customers track down rare examples to add to their collection and authenticate coins on the secondary market using their unique experience in British coinage. Rebecca Morgan, Divisional Director of Collector Services, comments: "We are delighted to have acquired such a rare coin which traces its history to the first Tudor king. We have seen many customers buying historic coins to bring purpose to their collection, either as an investment for the future or an heirloom to pass onto the next generation. Our Collector Services division is growing each year, and with 1,100 years of expertise, the team here can help enrich and enhance any coin collection. We set the record for the sale of a British historic coin at £1 million last year - who knows, perhaps this might beat the record." The coin depicts the crowned Tudor King seated on a throne, in robes, holding an orb and sceptre, the reverse shows the quartered shield of England upon a Tudor rose. The online auction will take place on 4 March 2021 and those wishing to bid will need to pay a £20,000 deposit*. This is the first in a series of online auctions that will be held by The Royal Mint and there is no buyer's premium. If you would like to take part in the auction as a bidder or observer, take note of the following steps and register your interest by midnight on Monday, 1 March 2021. To register, visit www.royalmint.com/auction/ *Please note that the £20,000 deposit is fully refundable to bidders who are unsuccessful in acquiring the coin at auction. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1433393/Royal_Mint_Tudor_coin.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1358049/The_Royal_Mint_Logo.jpg SOURCE: The Royal Mint