The Britannia is the Royal Mint’s flagship bullion coin — gold since 1987, silver since 1997 — and one of the world’s most liquid sovereign coins, with a UK tax profile that makes it especially attractive to domestic buyers. Fractional sizes and proof issues give collectors a ladder into the series.
Key facts
- Gold Britannia minted since 1987; silver Britannia since 1997; platinum since 2018.
- 1 oz gold Britannia: 1 troy oz gold, £100 face value; struck in 22-carat (.917) gold 1987–2012, .9999 fine gold from 2013; issued in 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/10 oz (£100, £50, £25, £10 faces) plus 5 oz and 1/20 oz sizes added 2013.
- 1 oz silver Britannia: 1 troy oz silver, £2 face value; struck in .958 “Britannia” silver 1997–2012, .999 fine silver from 2013; 40 mm diameter (1997–2012), 38.61 mm from 2013.
- Reverse design: Philip Nathan’s standing Britannia (1987); 2023 marked the first Britannias with Charles III on the obverse.
- Tax treatment varies by jurisdiction; consult current official guidance or a qualified adviser before relying on a tax exemption.
- Authentication notes: radial-line backgrounds, micro-text, latent images, and (2021+) surface animation are the Royal Mint’s anti-counterfeit features; buy from established bullion dealers.