British Gold Britannias

British Britannia Gold Coins at Provident Metals

One of the most popular gold coin programs on the market today is the British Britannia Gold Coin Series. These coins are the official gold bullion coins of Great Britain and feature the iconic imagery of Britannia, the female personification of Britain, and a symbol that stretches back more than 2,000 years. Learn more about Britannia and this popular series right here at Provident Metals.

Background on British Britannia Gold Coins

The bull market on gold in the 1970s forced other sovereign mints to create their own bullion gold coinage. At the time, the only option available for investors was the South African Krugerrand Gold Coin. However, due to sanctions from Western governments, these coins were scarcely available. The Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin was the first to rival the Krugerrand, followed by the Chinese Panda, American Eagle, and then the British Britannia.

While the series debuted in 1987, the image of Britannia has an even richer history. Britannia was the name applied to the British Isles, Great Britain, and the Roman province of Britain after the Roman Empire invasion. Shortly after, Britannia became the female personification of Britain and was depicted as a warrior armed with a shield and a spear. Over the years, the spear became a trident.

Britannia was first used on coinage as early as the year 119 via Emperor Hadrian. In 1672, the image of Britannia on coinage was revived on British coinage due to King Charles II of England. Finally, in 1987 the Royal Mint created the British Britannia Gold Coin Series and it has been released annually ever since.

When the coin program debuted, it contained 22-karat gold. Commonly known as crown gold, these 1 oz coins contained a gold purity of .9167 as copper was in the mixture as well. Starting in 1990 the Royal Mint shifted from copper to silver. This standard was used until 2012. In 2013, the gold purity was upgraded to .9999. While the purity increased, the weight decreased from 34.05 grams to 31.1035 grams.

Design Over the Years

The Royal Mint held a competition to find a new design for Britannia. In total, 52 designs were submitted by 14 designers, with Philip Nathan’s depiction being the winner. His design showcases Britannia in front-facing relief looking to the right, holding a shield in one hand and a trident in the other.

While the reverse has remained consistent, the obverse has differed over the years.

• 1987-1997: Coins with this issue date feature the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Raphael Maklouf. Her Majesty is seen with the royal diadem on her head in a right-profile relief.
• 1998-2015: Arguably the most well-known depiction of Queen Elizabeth II, coins with this issue date showcase the Ian Rank-Broadley depiction of Her Majesty. The Queen is wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland diamond tiara.
• 2016-2023: Coins with this issue date display the Jody Clark depiction of Queen Elizabeth II. Jody Calrk was the youngest to design an effigy of Her Majesty and showcases her at 89 years old.
• 2023-Present: With the unfortunate passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the effigy of King Charles III is now shown on these coins. The King is seen in left-profile relief with no crown. Martin Jennings created this design.

Sizes Available

The British Britannia Gold Series is available in an array of sizes. The most common are the 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, and the 1/10 oz. In 2013 a 5 oz option and 1/20 oz coin were added.

The face value for these coins is the following:

• 5 oz: £500
• 1 oz: £100
• 1/2 oz: £50
• 1/4 oz: £25
• 1/10 oz: £10
• 1/20 oz: £5

Purchasing British Britannia Gold Coins at Provident Metals

If you have any questions about British Britannia Gold Coins, give the Provident Metals customer service team a call at 800-313-3315. Our team is also available via email or through our online chat feature.