1826 Gold Sovereign George IV Bare Head
An 1826 gold Sovereign featuring King George IV. Like his father, there were two distinctive heads for George IV coins - the Laurel (Wreath) Head, and the Bare Head. The obverse portrait features the bare head of a tousle-haired George, as designed by J.B. Merlen. The reverse has the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom in an ornate shield, surmounted by the Royal Crown. This makes the 1826 Sovereign rare, as it doesn't use the George and the Dragon design for which the Sovereign has become famed for. The centre section of the shield shows the Hanoverian arms, surmounted by a small crown. George was Prince Regent from 1811 until 1820 and his father's death. King George III's mental health declined steadily during the latter years of his reign, but it is believed medical malpractice and mercury poisoning was the cause. George IV took over in 1820 and ruled for 10 years, but he was considered a national liability and a poor king. **Obverse** "GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA". **Reverse** BRITANNIARUM REX FID:DEF.