Britain’s Platinum Bullion Coin
The Royal Mint launched the Platinum Britannia in 2018, decades after the gold and silver versions of the same coin. Every piece holds one troy ounce of .9995 fine platinum, the highest purity the IRS recognizes for any precious metal in an IRA, backed by a £100 face value from the British government. This random-date listing ships whichever year the Mint has most available.
Britannia on the Reverse, Two Monarchs on the Obverse
The reverse carries Philip Nathan’s Britannia, trident raised and a Union shield braced at her side, standing against a background of fine wave-like detailing. The obverse carries whichever monarch was reigning when your coin was struck: Jody Clark’s Queen Elizabeth II portrait on coins through her reign, and Martin Jennings’s uncrowned King Charles III effigy on coins struck after her death in 2022. Nathan’s Britannia hasn’t changed, only the monarch on the front has.
Built to Resist Counterfeiting
The Royal Mint packs four separate anti-counterfeiting features into the design. Surface animation creates the look of rolling waves behind Britannia as the coin turns in the light. A latent image shifts between a padlock and a trident depending on viewing angle. Microscopic lettering reading DECUS ET TUTAMEN, Latin for “an ornament and a safeguard,” rings the figure, and tincture lines, a centuries-old heraldic technique, mark out colour and pattern in the metal itself. Four features, one coin, all visible without any equipment beyond a tilt of the wrist.
Right at the IRA Purity Floor
Platinum carries the strictest IRA purity requirement of any metal the IRS allows, .9995 fine, compared to .995 for gold and .999 for silver. This coin is struck at exactly that standard, not comfortably above it the way a .9999 gold coin clears the .995 gold floor. The floor is .9995, and this coin is assayed right at it.
1 oz Platinum Britannia Specifications
Every coin holds one troy ounce of .9995 fine platinum, struck 32.69 mm across and 3 mm thick, with a reeded edge and a £100 face value. Purity and weight are fixed, whichever year or effigy ships. Full current specs are on the Specifications tab above.
1 oz Platinum Britannia FAQ
Will I get a Queen Elizabeth II or King Charles III coin?
Either, depending on what’s in stock. The Mint used Queen Elizabeth II’s effigy through her reign and introduced King Charles III’s afterward. You cannot request one over the other.
Is the 1 oz Platinum Britannia IRA eligible?
Yes. At .9995 fine, it meets the IRS’s purity requirement for platinum, the highest bar set for any metal in a precious metals IRA. It meets the standard exactly, the strictest one the IRS sets.
Does this coin have a face value?
Yes, every 1 oz Platinum Britannia carries a £100 face value backed by the British government, though the bullion value of the platinum inside is worth far more than that number stamped on the coin. Face value is £100, not what the coin is worth.
What security features does this coin have?
Surface animation that makes waves appear to move behind Britannia, a latent image that shifts between a padlock and a trident, microscopic DECUS ET TUTAMEN lettering, and traditional tincture lines marking pattern into the metal, four in total. Four features total, all checkable by eye.
What condition will my coin arrive in?
Uncirculated, as struck by the Mint. Coins may show light handling marks from minting and shipping, which is normal for the series and does not affect the platinum content. Condition is uncirculated, not a third-party grade.
Curious how the Britannia compares in other metals? Browse our full selection.
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