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Independently graded · Free insured delivery over £1,000

Folton

Certified British gold · Established 2021

Discover the beauty of British gold.

Graded sovereigns, Britannias and Royal Mint proofs, each one a single coin in its sealed holder. Call us, or tell us what you are looking for, and a specialist at our Piccadilly office will come back to you.

See the collectionTalk to a specialist
4.5 out of 5 · 37 Google reviews

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Lately through the shop

These are coins we have bought, photographed and sold, each one a single piece in the holder it left in. Tell us what you are looking for and we will let you know when one comes in.

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4.5out of 5

Rated 4.5 out of 5. Based on 37 Google reviews

Read them on Google
Excellent service from start to finish. The team at Folton were professional, knowledgeable, and took the time to explain everything clearly. I felt completely comfortable with my purchase and the whole process was smooth and transparent. Highly recommended for anyone looking to invest in gold.
Frankie DelaneyRated 5 out of 5. Verified Google review
Zane has given invaluable advice on the market and been more than accurate in his predictions. He is also a highly articulate and well informed young man. He is attentive, conscientious, polite and always entertaining. He will go far.
Nigel SnuddenRated 5 out of 5. Verified Google review
Fantastic experience working with the team from Foltons gold great service from Lewis and his team purchased some quality gold coins at competitive prices.
Mark SextonRated 5 out of 5. Verified Google review

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Explore British gold

Three kinds of coin, and the grade most people arrive looking for.

PF70

The top of the proof scale: no flaw at five times magnification, and the grade we are known for.

A 2017 gold five pound Queen's Sapphire Jubilee proof in its NGC holder, the label reading PF 70 Ultra CameoBrowse

£5 gold proofs

The large commemorative crown, struck to proof standard.

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Reverse of a gold five pound crown, the royal cypher beneath a crown within a beaded border

Sovereigns

Half, full and double, proofs beside currency strikes.

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Reverse of a gold full sovereign showing St George on horseback slaying the dragonReverse of a one ounce gold Britannia in 999.9 fine gold, Britannia standing with trident and shield

Britannias

999.9 fine gold, from one tenth of an ounce upwards.

Learn

The Collector’s Guide

What a grade means, what the holder tells you, and what to look at before you buy — on four coins we have handled.

Proof, or mint stateWhat a grade is, and is notReading the labelAnatomy of a sovereign

IProof, or mint state

Part I of four · Proof, or mint state

A 2013 gold five pound Queen’s Coronation proof, graded PF70 Ultra Cameo by NGC, in its sealed holder

PF

2013 £5 Queen’s Coronation · NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo

A 2024 Britannia and Liberty twenty-five pound gold coin, graded MS70 by NGC, in its sealed holder

MS

2024 £25 Britannia & Liberty · NGC MS70

Two different processes, not two levels of quality.

The finish is what the letters are describing.

Both scales run to seventy, and seventy means the same on either.

PF · Proof

Polished dies and more than one strike, made for collectors rather than for circulation.

MS · Mint state

Struck as currency is struck — once — and never circulated, so the surface is as it left the press.

PF · Proof

A mirrored field behind a frosted design. That contrast is what the word cameo describes.

MS · Mint state

No mirror polish and no frosting, just the ordinary struck surface, undamaged.

PF · Proof

Seventy is no imperfection at five times magnification. There is nothing above it.

MS · Mint state

An MS70 and a PF70 are not two grades of the same thing. The letters say what kind of coin it is.

IIWhat a grade is, and is not

Part II of four · What a grade is, and is not

The scale, mint state then proof · pick a grade

Only the grades we have a photographed coin for are shown. A grade says nothing about how many of a coin were struck, or how many survive.

A grade is one assessor’s opinion on one day. It is a verdict on condition, and nothing more than that.

A PF70 is scarcer at that grade than a PF69. Scarcer at a grade is not the same as rarer, and neither is a statement about price.

Nothing on the holder is a valuation.

Proof · top of the scale

PF70

A proof: struck from polished dies, for collectors rather than for circulation. Seventy is the top of the scale — no imperfection at five times magnification.

One we sold

2023 5oz Petition Crown Quartered Arms PF70 ULTRA CAMEO, sold by Folton2023 5oz Petition Crown Quartered Arms PF70 ULTRA CAMEO

IIIReading the label

Part III of four · Reading the label

A 2017 gold five pound Queen’s Sapphire Jubilee proof in its NGC holder, the label reading PF 70 Ultra Cameo

2017 £5 Queen’s Sapphire Jubilee, sold by Folton

Our own photography

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Year and country

2017 G.Britain

The year on the coin, and where it was struck.

Shown three times larger

And the one thing it does not say

What the coin is worth. A label records condition and identity. Any figure attached to it comes from the market, from a dealer, or from somebody’s hope — never from the holder.

IVAnatomy of a sovereign

Part IV of four · Anatomy of a sovereign

A 2026 full sovereign, Pistrucci’s Saint George and the dragon on the reverse

The reverse of a full sovereign

Our own photography

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The legend

HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE

The motto of the Order of the Garter, running round the rim: shame on him who thinks ill of it.

Shown three times larger

Ask about a graded coin

Private sourcing

Some coins are worth searching for

Tell us what you are looking for and we will say honestly whether we can find it.

Step one of two

I am looking for a British gold coin, from any year, and graded or not, either way.

What kind of coin
From when
Graded, or not

Sourcing is never a promise. We reply either way, 9am to 6pm.

Folton's premises at 118 Piccadilly

Why Folton

A dealer, not a marketplace

A marketplace introduces you to a seller and takes a fee. The coin belongs to somebody else, and so does the problem if it turns out not to be as described.

We own what is on this site. Every listing is a coin sitting in our safe, and the certification number we give you belongs to the coin in the box that arrives. If something is wrong with it, there is nobody for us to refer you to.

How we source and price

  • Independently graded

    Sealed in the original NGC or PCGS holder, with the certification number given when you enquire.

  • UK tax treatment

    UK legal tender gold coins are CGT exempt for UK residents and carry no VAT under current legislation. We are coin dealers, not tax advisers.

  • Insured delivery

    Discreet, tracked and insured to your door. Free on orders over £1,000.

  • Seen in person

    Viewings by appointment at 118 Piccadilly, so what you asked to see is out and ready.

Before you buy

How it works, and what people ask

  1. Find the coin

    Every listing shows the grade and the certification number. Tell us which coin, or what you are looking for, by telephone or from the coin's own page.

  2. Agree it with a person

    A specialist confirms the coin, the holder and the price in writing, and how to pay. Nothing is dispatched until payment has cleared.

  3. Delivered insured

    Packed discreetly, tracked and fully insured to your door, usually within one working day of cleared funds.

Do I get the exact coin in the photograph?

Yes. Every listing is one coin, and the photograph is of that coin. Graded coins are identified by the certification number printed on the holder, which we give you when you enquire so you can check it against the NGC or PCGS database before you buy. Where a listing does not yet have its own photography, we send pictures of the actual coin before dispatch.

Who grades the coins, and what does PF70 mean?

NGC and PCGS, the two main independent grading services. They assess the coin, then seal it in a tamper evident holder with a unique certification number. The scale runs to seventy, where seventy is flawless under magnification. Because an independent third party assigns it rather than the dealer selling the coin, PF70 means the same thing in London as it does in New York.

Is there really no VAT or Capital Gains Tax?

Investment gold is exempt from VAT, and gold coins that are UK legal tender are exempt from Capital Gains Tax for UK residents under current legislation. We are coin dealers rather than tax advisers, and Folton Group Ltd is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, so please confirm your own position with your accountant.

How is it delivered, and is it insured?

Discreetly, by a fully insured signature required service, in packaging that gives no indication of the contents. Delivery is free on orders of £1,000 and above, and £15.00 below that. Once payment has cleared, coins are normally dispatched the same working day.

What if I change my mind?

Graded coins can be returned within fourteen days of delivery, provided the holder is unopened and unmarked. Tell us before sending anything back so we can confirm the address and how to insure the parcel. Refunds are made to the original payment method within five working days of the coin reaching us and being checked.

Can I see a coin before I buy it?

Yes. You are welcome to view by appointment at 118 Piccadilly, London W1J 7NW, and you can collect from there rather than have it posted. Bring photographic identification matching the name on the purchase. Call 0204 587 1838 to arrange a time.

Will you buy coins back?

We buy back coins we have supplied. What we can offer depends on the coin and on conditions at the time, and we will always quote before you send anything to us. Call or email and we will talk it through.

How do I check a certification number myself?

Every graded coin is sealed in a tamper evident holder with a unique certification number printed on the label, and we give you that number when you enquire. NGC and PCGS both publish a free lookup on their own sites: enter the number and you will see the coin they graded, its grade and any designation, independently of anything we have written. We would rather you checked.

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