Britannia (coin)
Britannia coins are British bullion coins issued by the Royal Mint in gold since 1987, in silver since 1997, and in platinum since 2018. The coin patterns feature various depictions of Britannia, a feminine personification of the United Kingdom.
United Kingdom | |
| Value | 2 pounds sterling |
|---|---|
| Mass | 32.45g up to 2012 from 2013 31.21 g |
| Diameter | up to 2012 40.00mm from 2013 38.61 mm |
| Thickness | from 2013 3 mm |
| Edge | Milled |
| Composition | .958 silver (1997–2012) .999 silver (2013–present) |
| Years of minting | 1997–present |
| Obverse | |
 | |
| Design | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Designer | Jody Clark |
| Design date | 2015 |
| Reverse | |
 | |
| Design | Britannia |
| Designer | Philip Nathan |
| Design date | 1987 |
Britannia gold coins contain one troy ounce of gold and have a face value 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 coins 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.
Gold Britannia
From 2013 the gold coins have a millesimal fineness of 0.9999 (or 24 carat gold). Until 2012 the gold coins have a millesimal fineness of 0.917 (91.7% or 22 carat gold) with the non-gold component being copper 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 27.00 mm, (15.552 g)
- Quarter ounce: diameter 22.00 mm,(7.776 g)
- Tenth ounce: diameter 16.50 mm, (3.110 g)
Silver Britannia
Since 2013 the silver coins have been produced with a millesimal fineness of 0.999 (99.9% silver).[1] They have a mass of 31.21 grams and diameter of 38.61 mm.[2]
From 1997 to 2012 the silver coins had a millesimal fineness of 958 (95.8% or Britannia silver). Total mass 32.45 grams, diameter 40.00 mm.[3]
Silver Britannias have been released each year beginning in 1997, when a silver proof set was offered. In 1998 and in all subsequent even-numbered years the reverse design has depicted a standing Britannia 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.[1]
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,[4] 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.[5]
Silver Britannia mintages
The following table has the most recent numbers of coins minted by year.[6]
| Year | Uncirculated | 1oz Proof (Orders / Issue Limit) | Proof sets (Orders / Issue Limit) | 5oz Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 (.958 Ag) | – | 16,005 | 11,832 | not available |
| 1998 (.958 Ag) | 88,909 | 3,044 | 3,044 | not available |
| 1999 (.958 Ag) | 69,394 | no proof coins released | no proof coins released | not available |
| 2000 (.958 Ag) | 81,301 | no proof coins released | no proof coins released | not available |
| 2001 (.958 Ag) | 44,816 | 4,596 | 10,000 | not available |
| 2002 (.958 Ag) | 48,816 | no proof coins released | no proof coins released | not available |
| 2003[7] (.958 Ag) | 73,271 | 2,016 / 5,000 | 3,669 / 5,000 | not available |
| 2004[8](.958 Ag) | 100,000 | 2,174 / 5,000 | – | not available |
| 2005[9](.958 Ag) | 100,000 | 1,539 / 2,500 | 2,360 / 3,500 | not available |
| 2006[10](.958 Ag) | 100,000 | 2,529 / 2,750 | 3,000 / 3,000 (The Silhouette Collection encompasses 5 styles which are 1oz .999 silver & gold gilt) | not available |
| 2007[11](.958 Ag) | 100,000 | 5,157 / 7,500 | 2,500 / 2,500 (Sold out) | not available |
| 2008[12](.958 Ag) | 100,000 | 2,500 / 2,500 (Sold out) | 2,500 / 2,500 (Sold out) | not available |
| 2009[13](.958 Ag) | 100,000 | 6,784 | 2,500 / 2,500 (Sold out) | not available |
| 2010[14](.958 Ag) | 126,367 | 6,539 | 3,497 | not available |
| 2011[15](.958 Ag) | 100,000 | 4,973 | 2,483 / 2,500 | not available |
| 2012 (.958 Ag) | 100,000 | 2,500 | - | not available |
| 2013 (.999 Ag) | Mint to Order | 2,500 in limited edition presentation, max mintage 8,500 | - | 1,150 in limited edition presentation, 3,500 in First Strike Presentation, max mintage 4,650 |
| 2013 (.999 Ag) Snake Privy Rim | 300,000 | 0 | - | 0 |
| 2014 (.999 Ag) | Mint to Order | 2,500 in limited edition presentation, max mintage 5,300 | 1,750 in limited edition presentation, 550 in First Strike Presentation | 600 in limited edition presentation, 750 in First Strike Presentation, max mintage 1,350 |
| 2014 (.999 Ag) Horse Privy Rim | 1,000,000 | 0 | - | 0 |
| 2015 (.999 Ag) | Mint to Order | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 2015 (.999 Ag) Ram Privy Rim | 200,000 | 0 | - | 0 |
| 2016 (.999 Ag) | Mint to Order | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 2016 (.999 Ag) Monkey Privy Rim | 176,300 | 0 | - | 0 |
Coin Designs
| Year | Metal | Finish | Artist | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Gold
Silver |
Proof | Philip Nathan | Britannia riding horse-drawn chariot | |
| 1998 | Gold
Silver |
Brilliant Uncirculated
Proof |
Classic standing Britannia | ||
| 1999 | Gold
Silver |
Brilliant Uncirculated | Philip Nathan | Britannia riding horse-drawn chariot | In 1999, the silver Britannia repeated the Boudicca in chariot design used in 1997, but was only issued in the uncirculated bullion (non-proof) version, as opposed to 1997 when it was only issued in the proof version.[16] |
| 2000 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
Classic standing Britannia | ||
| 2001 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
Philip Nathan | With lion, vertical text | This year features a new design, Britannia is shown standing, accompanied by a lion, similar to the Una and the Lion reverse used on the very rare 1839 £5 gold coins.[17] |
| 2002 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
Classic standing Britannia | ||
| 2003 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
Philip Nathan | Britannia wearing a helmet with waves in the background | |
| 2004 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
Classic standing Britannia | ||
| 2005 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
Philip Nathan | Seated Britannia | features a seated figure of Britannia, similar to that used on halfpennies and farthings from 1672, which in turn reflects the original personification of Britannia on Roman coins of Hadrian.[18] |
| 2006 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
Classic standing Britannia | ||
| 2007 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
Christopher Le Brun | Seated Britannia with lion | features a seated figure of Britannia, with large shield bearing the Union Flag (Union Jack), with a lion at her feet, and what looks like the white cliffs of Dover and a sailing yacht in the background.[19] |
| 2008 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
John Bergdahl | With large waves | This year's Britannia has a new design featuring Britannia on the beach, with giant waves and a lighthouse in the background.[20] |
| 2009 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
Philip Nathan | The 2009 issue has reverted to the Chariot design last seen in 1999. | |
| 2010 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
Suzie Zamit | In Corinthian-style helmet | Designer Suzie Zamit says: "Britannia is a really important British icon and I wanted to create a design that represents her as a symbol of British liberties and democracy. I felt it was important to portray Britannia as strong - almost Amazonian - and courageous, but not overly warlike, more peaceful and protective".
... Britannia wears a Corinthian-style helmet, emphasising her warlike spirit and is accompanied by a lion to symbolise courage. However, Britannia's serene gaze and the presence of an olive branch, also portrays the goddess as a protective defender of peace and modern British liberty and values. Her eastward looking gaze alludes to Britain's role in the EU and its presence in Afghanistan.[21] |
| 2011 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
David Mach | In front of large flag | David Mach talks about his challenge to make Britannia a contemporary image and not just appear nationalistic: 'I worked out a design with as much movement as I could for a small surface area; movement that would encourage people to turn the coin and watch the light shift over the surface like I had done with half-crowns as a boy. My design acts as a lenticular image. The flag and Britannia appear to move reflecting a contemporary Britain; a changing Britain; a Britain which is culturally on the move but still with plenty of reasons to wave the flag.'[22] |
| 2012 | Gold
Silver |
Bullion
Proof |
Philip Nathan | Classic standing Britannia | It draws its inspiration from a strongly maritime approach, Britannia windswept on a cliff-top, the very essence of authority and elegance.[23] |
| 2013 | Gold
Silver |
Proof | Robert Hunt | Britannia and the owl | her head appears turned, symbolizing an interest in lands beyond her borders. She wears a Corinthian helmet and holds Neptune's trident to represent her claim as "ruler of the waves". An owl is present as a symbol of wisdom.[24] |
| 2014 | Gold
Silver |
Proof | Jody Clark | Britannia with lion in front of globe | I wanted to include a lion in this Britannia portrayal too because I had decided upon a very feminine and elegant looking Britannia, and I needed the strong presence of the lion to balance the design out. I didn't want it to be overly soft and flowing. I don't think a lion had featured for a while either so I knew I wanted to include one in mine.
... Why did you place the globe in the background – what is it – what does it represent? In my research I found that Britannia often sat on the globe in an imperial fashion. I didn't think that was a very modern concept. Instead, I decided to place it alongside her. I wanted to make the design appear as if Britannia is moving with the globe, and portray a sense of movement, with flowing elements like her dress. I thought it would be nice to have the contrast of static graphic elements too, like the globe. I found it a real balancing act getting the traditional aspects in whilst giving them a modern twist.[25] |
| 2015 | Gold
Silver |
Proof | Anthony Dufort | Corinth helmet and shield | Anthony looked back to Greek and Roman coins and statues to ensure authenticity while modelling her trident and Corinthian helmet.[26] |
| 2016 | Gold
Silver |
Proof | Suzie Zamit | Warrior Britannia with lion | Susie has brought her own perspective to Britannia, 'the warrior queen'.
"I knew it was important to make Britannia immediately recognisable but I also tried to think about how she could represent Britain in the twenty-first century. Britannia represents British liberty and democracy, especially potent in times of national insecurity, so I wanted to portray her as a strong figure, almost Amazonian, proud, patriotic and courageous. She is reminiscent of the goddess 'Athena,’ a warrior but in a protective, peace-keeping way. "The shield, a symbol of protection and security, incorporates the Union Jack and I included the lion as national symbol of courage. Visually it is very strong, beautiful and watchful and also a symbol of protection. The inclusion of wind and sea reflect the more modern, forward thinking themes of renewable and green energy".[27] |
| 2017 | Gold
Silver |
Proof | Louis Tamlyn | British isles forming body
30th anniversary design |
Louis created the design as a first year student at Central Saint Martins college when the Royal Mint requested a 'contemporary interpretation' of Britannia. Louis states: Britannia used to be the name of Great Britain in Roman times and hasn't really been used enough as a visual feature. I think it is important to revive it as a visual feature of the Britannia design as it communicates notions of the history and identity of Britain; by showing Britannia and the island as one it changes our perception.[28] |
| 2018 | Gold
Silver |
Proof | David Lawrence | In helmet with sunburst behind | Wears traditional British flowers around her helmet.[29]
Lawrence commented, "I wanted to create something with classical grace about it and a certain amount of gravitas: coins of the realm, especially when cast in valuable metals, are a serious business. I enrolled various family members to pose, bedecked with bedsheets and broomsticks for reference shots. It was then a matter of working through the compositions until some pleasing shapes could be resolved within the constriction of the coin’s roundel". |
| 2019 | Gold
Silver |
Proof
Brilliant Uncirculated |
David Lawrence | With lion, thrusting trident | David said of his of design, "My initial thoughts were influence by the great engravers of the past. Their work has a classical grace and gravitas I was keen to recreate. After all, coins of the realm are a serious business. The lion had to be there somewhere, as did the shield and trident… many of the components were already decided in a way. The end result is an Anglicised version of ancient Rome".[30] |
| 2020 | Gold
Silver |
Proof
Brilliant Uncirculated |
James Tottle | Britannia in front of flag with lion on shield | James Tottle said of his design, "I felt that a strong pose with a striking silhouette of Britannia in the foreground alongside the Union flag in the background would produce a well-balanced image; I also wanted to feature the lion so I worked it onto the shield. The image needed some movement and drama so I used crashing wave and a billowing dress to achieve this".[31] |
See also
References
- "Britannia Silver Coin". The Royal Mint. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- "2020 Britannia One Ounce Silver Brilliant Uncirculated Coin". Retrieved 31 March 2020.
- 2012 Silver Britannia specifications
- "Lunar Year of the Horse 2014 UK One Ounce Silver Proof Coin". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
- "'Mule' Britannia: error versions of silver £2 coins surface". 3 March 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- "Silver Britannia Mintage". Silver Bullion World. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- "2003 Dated UK Collector Coin Sales".
- "2004 Dated UK Collector Coin Sales".
- "2005 Dated UK Collector Coin Sales".
- "2006 Dated UK Collector Coin Sales".
- "2007 Dated UK Collector Coin Sales".
- "2008 Dated UK Collector Coin Sales".
- "2009 Dated UK Collector Coin Sales".
- "2010 Dated UK Collector Coin Sales".
- "2011 Dated UK Collector Coin Sales".
- "1999 Britannia Silver Bullion Coins". 24carat.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "2001 Britannia Silver Bullion Coins". 24carat.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "2005 Britannia Silver Bullion Coins". 24carat.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "2007 Britannia Silver Bullion Coins". 24carat.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "2008 Britannia Silver Bullion Coins". 24carat.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "The Enduring Icon of Britain". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "David Mach - Britannia Coin Designer | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "Britannia £2 Silver Bullion Coin Revealed". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "2013 Britannia Gold and Silver Proof Coins — World Mint News Blog". world.mintnewsblog.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "Behind the design: Britannia 2014 | The Royal Mint Blog". 24 March 2019. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "Britannia the changing face of Britain". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "Britannia, The Changing Face of Britain | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "My Britannia". Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "Designers' Inspiration Series: David Lawrence - 2018 Britannia". YouTube.
- "2019 Britannia Range The Spirit of a Nation". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "2020 Britannia coins from Royal Mint". Numismag. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- Krause, Chester L.; Clifford Mishler (2004). 2005 Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1901–Present (32nd ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0873497945.
- Coins of England & The United Kingdom, 40th ed., Spink, 2005, ISBN 1-902040-59-7