The Welsh gold that has adorned the hands of British royalty for over a century is back. For the first time in over 25 years, gold from the historic Clogau-St David’s Gold Mine – renowned for producing wedding rings worn by generations of the Royal Family – has been successfully mined and will soon be made available to the public in an exclusive auction.
Since gold was first discovered at Clogau in 1854, the mine has produced around 80,000 ounces of the UK’s most famous gold, cementing its status as the country’s most prolific domestic source.
Now, with gold mining revived, a new chapter in the Clogau Mine’s extraordinary story is being written.
For those who have long coveted the gold of kings and queens, this auction presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of royal history.
Welsh gold has long been prized for its rarity, history, and royal connection. Since 1923, wedding bands made from Clogau gold have been worn by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Princess Anne, and Diana, Princess of Wales. With no new production in decades, the supply of this legendary gold has remained extraordinarily limited – until now.
ROYAL LEGACY
Once the UK’s richest gold mine, Clogau was thought to be exhausted in the 1990s. However, after acquiring the mining rights in 2018, Alba Mineral Resources plc embarked on an ambitious exploration and rehabilitation programme, deploying cutting-edge technology to uncover new seams of gold. Their efforts have now paid off: gold has been successfully mined from Clogau once again, marking the first new production in over 25 years.
To commemorate this historic milestone, Alba has minted just three exclusive 1oz “Tyn-y-Cornel” gold coins, made entirely from the newly mined Welsh gold. The first of these coins will be auctioned online from Sunday 30 March to Thursday 3 April 2025, with collectors and investors invited to register interest at https://alba.irostrum.auction/.
COLLECTORS’ TREASURE
Each 24-carat, 1oz gold coin, minted in the UK by Betts Refiners (est. 1760), is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. The front features a striking Welsh dragon atop Cadair Idris, one of Snowdonia’s most famous mountains. The reverse pays homage to the mine’s golden era with an image inspired by historic photographs of miners outside the Tyn-y-Cornel adit.
With a maximum of just 10 coins ever to be produced, this ultra-limited edition is expected to attract significant global interest. Each coin is presented in a bespoke Welsh oak box, lined in crushed velvet, inscribed with: “Clogau-St David’s Gold Mine, Limited Edition 1oz Coin, Tyn-y-Cornel, 2025”.
George Frangeskides, Alba Mineral Resources Chairman, commented: “We are delighted to announce the first public auction of our beautifully designed and crafted limited edition 1-ounce pure Welsh gold coins. This is the first gold production to come out of the historic Clogau-St David’s Gold Mine in more than 25 years and represents the culmination of a huge endeavour on the part of Alba and our dedicated technical team. As Welsh gold typically fetches a significant premium to the normal spot price of gold, we are very excited to see what price these exclusive coins will fetch on the open market.”
UPDATE – Alba Mineral Resources plc (AIM: ALBA), the gold and critical minerals exploration company, announced the successful sale of its first limited-edition 1oz Welsh gold coin – which achieved a remarkable £20,000 at auction – on Thursday 3rd April. George Frangeskides, Executive Chairman of Alba, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the result of yesterday’s auction. The strong sale price achieved for this unique and beautifully crafted 1oz, 24-carat coin reflects the heritage and prestige of Welsh gold. It is also a validation of our strong belief in the commercial potential of the Clogau-St David’s Gold Mine, and of gold exploration and development across the North Wales Dolgellau Gold Belt generally.
“This successful sale marks the achievement of an exciting milestone as we continue to advance our development work at Clogau.”
