Slabbed Gold £5 – 1996 (MS69 PL)
Description Slabbed Gold £5, also known as a Quintuple Sovereign (MS69 PL), dated 1996. There was a grading system from the 1940s that ascribed a number between 1 and 70 to each coin (70 being mint condition). Dr William Sheldon’s scale worked on the basis that a coin graded at 70 would be valued at 70 times more than the value of a coin graded at 1. This scale forms the basis of the grading system today. **MS** stands for Mint State, a term used to indicate that the coins are the same issue as circulated coins, but in good enough condition to fall between 60 and 70 on the Sheldon scale. **PL**, is when a circulation issued coin is said to be proof like, the fields show a higher-than-normal degree of reflectivity. **DPL** or deep proof like, is when the fields are deeply mirrored. The coins are slabbed to maintain the condition in a protective case. In 1817 as part of a reform of coinage, the modern sovereign was introduced, with Benedetto Pistrucci’s classic portrayal of St. George slaying the dragon. The initials ‘BP’ can be found on the base under the hoof of the horse. The obverse of the 1996 £5 coin features Raphael Maklouf’’s portrait of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. All of our slabbed and graded coins are verified for authenticity by our experienced team. Any coins that fall short of our quality standards are not re-sold. As members of the [BNTA](http://www.bnta.net/) we ensure that our reputation as a reputable dealer of gold and silver coins and bars is upheld, whether a purchase is for our “best price” or brand new coins. Our guide to slabbed and graded coins can be found [here](https://www.atsbullion.com/guides/coin-grading-and-slabbing/).