The 2018 Britannias—in both gold and silver—are now available for pre-sale through select retailers like Provident. These coins are the flagship bullion product of the British Royal Mint and have been released annually beginning in 1987.
The Gold Britannia contains one troy ounce of .9999 fine gold and carries a face value of 100 pounds, while the Silver Britannia contains one troy ounce of .999 fine silver and carries a face value of 2 pounds. Both of these internationally beloved coins have the same design with each year’s release.
Like many other sovereign coins, the obverse features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The current portrait, designed by Royal Mint engraver Jody Clark, is the fifth design based on Her Majesty for the purpose of being used on coins in the UK and in other countries around the world.
The reverse showcases Britannia, the female embodiment of Great Britain. She protectively looks out at the sea while carrying Poseidon’s trident, a shield, and an olive branch. The name Britannia was created based on Greek and Roman geographical terms for the region.
Though the design for the Britannia has been constant over the years, a recent update improved the coin’s integrity and security. There is now a textured field on the obverse and micro-engraved radial lines in the field on the reverse. This helps dealers, collectors, and investors authenticate their coins.
An additional benefit of these patterned fields is that they can sometimes help mask minor visual damages like small scratches. Essentially, the textures and lines can distract the eye from such damages, whereas a mirror-smooth field makes damages stand out.
The new 2018 Britannias are available now for pre-sale, and we expect them to begin shipping on November 13, 2017.
Are you a collector of Britannias? Which coin from the British Royal Mint is your favorite?
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