1 oz British Silver Britannia Coin (BU)

Britain’s Silver Bullion Coin Since 1997

The Royal Mint has struck the Silver Britannia every year since 1997, and today’s coin is a different piece of metal than the earliest ones. Coins from 2013 onward hold one troy ounce of .999 fine silver, the international bullion standard, while coins from 1997 through 2012 were struck in .958 fine “Britannia silver,” a traditional British alloy carried over from sterling silverware rather than modern bullion fineness. 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 shield braced at her side, the standard design on every bullion strike since 2013. The obverse carries whichever monarch was reigning when your coin was struck: Jody Clark’s Queen Elizabeth II portrait on coins through 2022, and Martin Jennings’s King Charles III effigy on coins struck after her death. Nathan’s Britannia is the constant, only the monarch and, on older coins, the alloy itself change.

 

Built to Resist Counterfeiting, on Modern Coins

Coins struck since the 2013 redesign carry four anti-counterfeiting features the Royal Mint added alongside the purity upgrade: surface animation that makes waves seem to move behind Britannia as the coin turns, a latent image that shifts between a padlock and a trident, the Royal Mint’s own words, and was introduced on this exact £2 coin, microscopic DECUS ET TUTAMEN lettering ringing the figure, and traditional tincture lines marking pattern into the metal. Both arrived together, part of the same 2013 change.

 

What “Random Year” Means for Purity Here

Because this listing draws from across the whole run since 1997, the coin that ships could be a modern .999 fine strike or an older .958 fine one, and the security features above apply only to the newer coins. Every coin still carries a £2 face value as legal tender from the British government, regardless of era. Two different alloys, both genuine, both part of the same series.

 

1 oz Silver Britannia Specifications

Every coin holds one troy ounce of silver, struck 38.61 mm across and 3 mm thick, with a reeded edge and a £2 face value. Fineness depends on the year: .999 from 2013 onward, .958 for 1997 through 2012. Full current specs are on the Specifications tab above.

 

1 oz Silver 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 2022 and introduced King Charles III’s afterward. You cannot request one over the other.

 

Is every Silver Britannia .999 fine?

No. Only coins struck from 2013 onward are .999 fine. Coins dated 1997 through 2012 were struck in .958 fine “Britannia silver,” a lower purity than today’s standard. The year decides the fineness, not a fixed rule for the whole series.

 

Is the 1 oz Silver Britannia IRA eligible?

A 2013-or-later coin clears the IRS’s .999 minimum for a precious metals IRA. An older .958 fine coin does not meet that bar. Eligibility follows the alloy, not just the coin’s name.

 

Does this coin have a face value?

Yes, every Silver Britannia carries a £2 face value backed by the British government as legal tender, though the bullion value of the silver inside is worth far more than that number. Face value is £2, not what the coin is worth.

 

What condition will my coin arrive in?

Brilliant 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 silver content. Condition is Brilliant Uncirculated, not a third-party grade.

 

Curious how the Britannia compares in other metals? Browse our full British Silver Coins selection.

 

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