Britannia Coin
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The Britannia is a
bullion coin A bullion coin (also known as a specie) is a coin struck from highly refined precious metal (bullion) and kept as a store of value or an investment rather than used in day-to-day commerce, or collectable, with numismatic value beyond that of its ...
issued by the
Royal Mint The Royal Mint is the United Kingdom's official maker of British coins. It is currently located in Llantrisant, Wales, where it moved in 1968. Operating under the legal name The Royal Mint Limited, it is a limited company that is wholly ow ...
. It has been minted in
gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
since 1987, in
silver Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...
since 1997, and in
platinum Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
since 2018. The reverse of the coin patterns feature various depictions of
Britannia The image of Britannia () is the national personification of United Kingdom, Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used by the Romans in classical antiquity, the Latin was the name variously appli ...
, a feminine personification of the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, while the obverse features the effigy of the
monarch of the United Kingdom The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers Constitutional monarchy, regula ...
with the legend around it. Britannia
gold coin A gold coin is a coin that is made mostly or entirely of gold. Most gold coins minted since 1800 are 90–92% gold (22fineness#Karat, karat), while most of today's gold bullion coins are pure gold, such as the Britannia (coin), Britannia, Canad ...
s contain one
troy ounce Troy weight is a system of units of mass that originated in the Kingdom of England in the 15th century and is primarily used in the precious metals industry. The troy weight units are the grain, the pennyweight (24 grains), the troy ounce (20 p ...
of gold and have a
face value The face value, sometimes called nominal value, is the value of a coin, bond, stamp or paper money as printed on the coin, stamp or bill itself by the issuing authority. The face value of coins, stamps, or bill is usually its legal value. Ho ...
of £100. Gold Britannias also are issued in fractional sizes of one-half, one-quarter, and one-tenth of a troy ounce and with face values of £50, £25, and £10 respectively. In 2013, two additional sizes were introduced, a five-ounce coin of face value £500, and a fractional size of one-twentieth of face value £5. Britannia
silver coin Silver coins are one of the oldest mass-produced form of coinage. Silver has been used as a coinage metal since the times of the Greeks; their silver drachmas were popular trade coins. The ancient Persians used silver coins between 612–330 B ...
s contain one troy ounce of silver and have a face value of £2. Silver Britannias also are issued in fractional sizes of one-half, one-quarter, and one-tenth of a troy ounce and with face values of £1, 50p, and 20p respectively. Like the gold coins in 2013, two additional sizes were introduced, a five-ounce coin of face value £10, and a fractional size of one-twentieth of face value 10p. 2023 marked the first year that King
Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
was depicted on the obverse. Queen
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
had featured on all previous ones.


Gold Britannia

From 2013 the gold coins have a
millesimal fineness The fineness of a precious metal object (coin, bar, jewelry, etc.) represents the weight of ''fine metal'' therein, in proportion to the total weight which includes alloying base metals and any impurities. Alloy metals are added to increase hard ...
of 0.9999 (or 24 carat gold). Until 2012 the gold coins have a
millesimal fineness The fineness of a precious metal object (coin, bar, jewelry, etc.) represents the weight of ''fine metal'' therein, in proportion to the total weight which includes alloying base metals and any impurities. Alloy metals are added to increase hard ...
of 0.917 (91.7% or 22 carat gold) with the non-gold component being
copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...
until 1989 and silver from 1990. 2013– Gold Britannia specifications (gold content and approx. total weight) :Five ounces: diameter 65 mm (156.295 g) :One ounce (2013) : diameter 38.61 mm (31.104 g) 'larger thinner coin' just for 2013 :One ounce (2014–) : diameter 32.69 mm (31.104 g) :Half ounce: diameter 27 mm (15.60 g) :One quarter ounce: diameter 22 mm (7.86 g) :One tenth ounce: diameter 16.50 mm (3.13 g) :One twentieth ounce: diameter 12 mm (1.58 g) 1987–2012 Gold Britannia specifications (gold content, not total weight) :One ounce: diameter 32.69 mm (31.104 g; total wt 34.050 g) :Half ounce: diameter 27 mm, (15.552 g) :Quarter ounce: diameter 22 mm (7.776 g) :Tenth ounce: diameter 16.5 mm, (3.11 g) Gold Britannias are struck to an unlimited mintage every year.


Silver Britannia

Since 2013 the silver coins have been produced with a millesimal fineness of 0.999 (99.9% silver). They have a mass of 31.21 grams and diameter of 38.61 mm. From 1997 to 2012 the silver coins had a millesimal fineness of 958 (95.8% or
Britannia silver Britannia silver is an alloy of silver containing 11 ozt 10 dwt (i.e. 11½ troy oz.) silver in the pound troy, equivalent to , or 95.833% by weight (mass) silver, the rest usually being copper. This standard was introduced in England by Act o ...
). Total mass 32.45 grams, diameter 40.00 mm. Silver Britannias have been released each year beginning in 1997, when a silver
proof Proof most often refers to: * Proof (truth), argument or sufficient evidence for the truth of a proposition * Alcohol proof, a measure of an alcoholic drink's strength Proof may also refer to: Mathematics and formal logic * Formal proof, a co ...
set was offered. In 1998 and in all subsequent even-numbered years the reverse design has depicted a standing
Britannia The image of Britannia () is the national personification of United Kingdom, Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used by the Romans in classical antiquity, the Latin was the name variously appli ...
figure. Beginning in 1999 and continuing in odd-numbered years, a series of alternate, non-repeating depictions of Britannia have replaced the standing figure on the reverse. Starting in 2013, the proof versions of the coin will feature a different design each year, while the bullion version of the coin will always feature the classic standing Britannia. While mintage was limited prior to 2013, in 2013 and after mintage of the bullion version of the coin is unlimited based on demand. Some 2014 silver Britannia coins were struck with the incorrect obverse as there was a mix up during the manufacturing process with the 'Lunar' Year of the Horse coins from The Royal Mint, as both coins were to the same fineness and specification, and similar but not identical obverse sides. It is thought that there are around 17,000 examples with the mis-strike, which have been dubbed the 'Mule Britannia'. These coins have fetched substantial premiums on online auction sites.


Silver Britannia mintages

The following table has the most recent numbers of coins minted by year.


Platinum Britannia

From 2018, platinum Britannias have been minted, with a
millesimal fineness The fineness of a precious metal object (coin, bar, jewelry, etc.) represents the weight of ''fine metal'' therein, in proportion to the total weight which includes alloying base metals and any impurities. Alloy metals are added to increase hard ...
of 0.9995.


Coin designs


See also

*
American Gold Eagle The American Gold Eagle is an official gold bullion coin of the United States. Authorized under the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985, it was first released by the United States Mint in 1986. Because the term "eagle" also is the official United St ...
*
Australian Gold Nugget The Australian Gold Nugget, also sometimes known as the Australian Gold Kangaroo, is a gold bullion coin minted by the Perth Mint. The coins have been minted in denominations of oz, oz, oz, oz, 1 oz, 2 oz, 10 oz, and 1 kg of 24 car ...
*
British Sovereign coin The sovereign is a British gold coin with a nominal value of one pound sterling (£1) and contains of pure gold. Struck since 1817, it was originally a circulating coin that was accepted in Britain and elsewhere in the world; it is now a bu ...
*
Canadian Gold Maple Leaf The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf (GML; ) is a gold coin, gold bullion coin that is issued annually by the Government of Canada. It is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. The Gold Maple Leaf is legal tender with a face value of 50 Canadian dollars. ...
* Austrian Philharmonic *
Krugerrand The Krugerrand (; ) is a South African coin, first minted on 3 July 1967 to help market South African gold and produced by Rand Refinery and the South African Mint. The name is a compound of '' Paul Kruger'', the former President of the South ...
* Chinese lunar coins *
Gold as an investment Of all the precious metals, gold is the most popular as an investment. Investors generally buy gold as a way of diversifying risk, especially through the use of futures contracts and derivatives. The gold market is subject to speculation and ...
*
Silver as an investment Silver may be used as an investment like other precious metals. It has been regarded as a form of money and store of value for more than 4,000 years, although it lost its role as legal tender in developed country, developed countries when the use ...


References

* *''Coins of England & The United Kingdom'', 40th ed., Spink, 2005, {{British_coinage British gold coins Britannia Bullion coins of the United Kingdom Gold bullion coins Silver bullion coins Platinum bullion coins