British Britannia Coin: Gold & Silver, Sizes, & Where to Buy

The British Britannia Coin is a globally recognized bullion coin with an iconic design and high purity.

Using information from the Royal Mint, this article looks at the coin’s origin and design to share why it’s appealing to investors.

Continue reading to see if it’s a good addition for your portfolio.

About the British Britannia Coin

The British Britannia Coin was first minted by the Royal Mint in 1987 to highlight British heritage and values.

It is regarded for its purity and iconic designs, making it a popular bullion coin for investors.

History

The British Britannia Coin was introduced by the Royal Mint in 1987 to meet growing demand for gold bullion coins.

The silver version of the coin followed in 1997 and a platinum version was released in 2018, giving investors an affordable option to diversify their portfolios. 

The coin depicts Britannia, a symbol of British heritage and strength. The use of Britannia on British currency was common during the Roman period and was later revived under the reign of Charles II in 1672.

The coin was released to compete with the other popular bullion coins including the South African Krugerrand and the American Eagle coins.

Over the years, the coin has become increasingly desired by investors due to its improved quality and innovative designs.

From 1987 to 2012, the gold coin contained 91.7% gold. After 2013, the gold content was increased to 99.99%.

Similarly, the silver coin was composed of 95.8% silver from 1997 until 2012 and after 2013 the silver content increased to 99.9%.

The gold coin has a face value of 100 Pounds while the silver coin has a face value of two pounds.

Design

The British Britannia Coin features a standing depiction of Britannia designed by Philip Nathan.

Britannia represents the personification of British identity with a shield for protection, an olive branch for peace, and a trident signifying maritime strength.

The inscription on the reverse of the coin includes:

• BRITANNIA
• Year of mint
• 1 OZ
• 999.9 FINE GOLD

The obverse of the coin features an effigy of the British monarch. In 2023, Queen Elizabeth II was replaced by King Charles III. This inscription on the obverse includes:

• ELIZABETH II or CHARLES III
• DG REX FD
• 100 Pounds

The silver Britannia coin bears the same design as the gold coin. On the reverse it bears the inscription ‘999 FINE SILVER’ while on the obverse it notes the face value of 2 Pounds.

Over the years the design of the coin has changed. Some of the designs by Philip Nathan include:

• 1997: Britannia riding a horse-drawn chariot
• 1999: Boudica in a chariot for uncirculated bullion only 
• 2001: Britannia is depicted standing next to a lion
• 2005: Britannia is seated, reflected earlier coin designs from the Roman period

Other artists contributed to new designs for the proof coin including:

• 2007: seated Brtiannia with a lion and shield bearing the Union Flag by Christopher Le Brun
• 2008: Britannia on the beach with waves and a lighthouse by John Bergdahl
• 2010: Britannia in a Corinthian-style helmet with a lion by Suzie Zamit
• 2011: Britannia in front of a large flag by David Mach
• 2013: Britannia with an owl, Neptune’s trident, and a Corinthian helmet by Robert Hunt
• 2014: Britannia with a lion in front of a globe by Jody Clark
• 2015: Britannia with Corinthian helmet and shield by Anthony Dufort
• 2016: warrior Britannia with a lion by Suzie Zamit
• 2017: British Isles forming Britannia’s body by Louis Tamlyn
• 2018: Britannia in a helmet with a sunburst and traditional British flowers by David Lawrence
• 2019: Britannia with a lion and thrusting trident by David Lawrence
• 2020: Britannia in front of a flag with a lion on her shield by James Tottle
• 2021: Profile portrait of Britannia in a helmet looking out to sea by P.J. Lynch
• 2022: Britannia with a trident and lion shield in a three-quarter view by Dan Thorne
• 2022 Special Edition: Three representations of Britannia at different ages by Sandra Deiana
• 2023: Britannia in a sled-like chariot pulled by sea creatures with webbed feet by Jonathan Olliffe
• 2024: Profile of Britannia in a helmet with a lion emblem, facing towards a wave by Marie-Alice Harel

While the proof versions of the coin change annually, the bullion coin maintains the same design of Britannia from year-to-year.

Minting & Distribution

Bullion British Britannia coins are produced with unlimited mintage based on demand. The size and composition of the coin has changed over the years, reflecting improvements in quality.

Gold Coin

Year	Size and weight	Composition
1987-1989	32.69 mm diameter 34.050 g total weight	91.7% gold (22 carat) with copper alloy
1990-2021	38.61 mm diameter 31.104 g total weight	99.99% pure gold (24 carat)
2014-present	32.69 mm 31.104 g total weight	99.99% pure gold (24 carat)

Silver Coin

Year	Size and weight	Composition
997-2012	40.00 mm diameter 32.45 g total weight	95.8% silver
2013-present	38.61 mm 31.21 g total weight	99.9% pure silver

Silver coin mintages vary by year. Before 2010 less than 100,000 uncirculated silver British Britannia coins were produced. In 2014, 1 million uncirculated coins were produced.

Special issues of the coin include error coins, like the 2014 Mule Britannia. This production of the coin included the Lunar Year of the Horse coin, and around 17,000 coins were minted with the incorrect obverse.

Best Places to Buy British Britannia Coins

I’ve listed my top 3 favorite places online that I like to buy my Britannia coins from.

Goldco

Goldco is a reputable precious metals dealer that offers the British Britannia Coin for direct purchase or inclusion in a gold IRA.

JM Bullion

JM Bullion is a Dallas-based online precious metals retailer with more than a decade of experience. Investors can purchase British Britannia coins directly from the company’s website.

APMEX

Founded in 2000, APMEX is an online precious metals marketplace offering the British Britannia Coin.

Are British Britannia coins a good investment?

The British Britannia Coin is a popular investment for individuals who want to diversify with precious metals.

It has a high purity and changing proof designs makes it a desirable collector’s coin. 

Citizens of the United Kingdom who invest in Britannia coins are exempt from capital gains taxes.

If precious metals are part of your investment strategy, a British Britannia Coin can be a good option to include in your portfolio.