British Silver Britannias

Coronation Britannia Silver Coin

The Coronation Britannia Silver Coin likely won’t be released again for quite a few years. On the obverse, it features King Charles III, as well as his royal titles. He wears the crown of England and stares proudly off to the side. The reverse is familiar and invokes the same imagery of Lady Britannia that made these coins famous in the first place. She wears her trademark flowing gown and carries both a trident and the shield of Great Britain. 

1 oz British Silver Britannia Coin

This is the coin that started it all. Known for exceptional beauty and a high silver purity of .999, the 1 oz British Silver Britannia Coin is to blame for part of the British Royal Mint’s stellar reputation among investors. Until 2023, the coin’s obverse depicted Queen Elizabeth II, who wore her pearl earrings and the crown of England. Since her death in 2022, subsequent coins will feature the new monarch of Britain: King Charles III. Flip the coin over, and you’ll be confronted by one of Britain’s most enduring symbols: Lady Britannia. Britannia strides proudly forward and gestures with her trident. In her left hand, she holds the shield of Great Britain. 

Buy British Silver Britannias with Hero Bullion!

Since its inception in 1997, the Silver Britannia has remained one of the world’s most popular silver coins. Featuring the current monarch of England on the obverse and the feminine personification of Great Britain on the reverse, these coins are equal parts beautiful and numismatically valuable. Over the course of its thirty-five year history as a leading bullion coin, the British Silver Britannia has established itself as a dominating precious metal product on the global market. 

Hero Bullion sells a variety of British Silver Britannias. While most feature the same obverse and reverse designs, some coins in this storied series include unique depictions that celebrate some of the most important moments in British – and world – history. Scroll up to the top of this page to see our current inventory. Below, you’ll find an in-depth guide to the history, investment potential, and specifications of one of the world’s most valued silver coins. 

History of the Silver Britannia

The Britannia series didn’t start with silver. This storied collection of coins from the British Royal Mint actually began with a gold coin. In 1987, the national mint of Great Britain unveiled the Gold Britannia. Following its success, they released a silver version of the coin one decade later in 1997. It was immediately popular among collectors. After all, precious metal investors don’t always have 2,000 dollars or more to spend on a single bullion piece. 

Collectors who wanted to buy into the precious metals market without bankrupting themselves were ecstatic to be able to invest in the brand new British Silver Britannia. The coin was initially minted using a bit less pure silver than some of its competitors; until 2012, it contained a fineness of only .958 silver. Starting in 2013, however, the coin was minted using the industry-standard .999 fine silver bullion. 

Fractional variations of the British Silver Britannia were also minted throughout the history of the coin. Additionally, investors from 2013 forward were able to enjoy a unique weight, the five-ounce British Silver Britannia coin. 

The Royal British Mint

The Royal Mint is Britain’s national bullion coin manufacturer. While the distinction of the oldest mint in the world goes to the Monnaie de Paris, the British Royal Mint is remarkably close behind when it comes to age. It was founded in 886 and has continually minted the bullion coins of the British Empire ever since. With this kind of history, it should come as no surprise that the British Royal Mint is one of the most respected manufacturers on the planet. 

In one sense, the British Silver Britannia helped to make the Royal Mint what it is today. The coin’s popularity has grown to rival some of the other domineering silver coins on the market, including the American Silver Eagle and Canadian Silver Maple. During certain years, mintage numbers can reach low seven-digits. While most years see mintage figures closer to 100-200,000, the high quantity of British Silver Britannias minted provides evidence of the coin’s popularity on the precious metal market. 

Key Features

In order to understand why our customers tend to love British Silver Britannia coins, it’s important to take a closer look at some of its key features. Below, we’ll explore the obverse designs, reverse-side artwork, and unique variations that characterize Britain’s most popular coins. Our goal is to help prepare investors for their next purchase. If the British Silver Britannia is on your list, keep reading. 

Obverse Designs 

The obverse of the British Silver Britannia always features the same type of person. Since its first release in 1997, the piece has included an obverse depiction of the portrait of England’s current monarch. Until 2023, this figure was Queen Elizabeth II. When she died in 2022 and her reign as Britain’s monarch officially ended, a new face was slated to appear on subsequent releases of the British Silver Britannia. 

New editions of the coin will instead feature Charles III, who was crowned King of England in 2023. He appears wearing no jewelry, except for the famous crown of Great Britain. These new “King Type” British Silver Britannias are already becoming popular, although some collectors yearn for the look and feel of the classic Britannia coins that featured Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse.

Whether you purchase the new variant of the older Queen Elizabeth II coin, you’ll also find the coin’s face value and the title of the monarch on its obverse. 

Reverse Designs 

For fans of consistency, you’ll be pleased to note that the reverse of the British Silver Britannia has remained relatively unchanged for the duration of its minting history. On the backside of this classic British coin, you’ll find Lady Britannia. Britannia is the feminine representation of the British Empire, and she’s been used as a symbolic icon for several hundred years. 

On this coin, it’s Philip Nathan’s artwork that makes an appearance. He depicts Lady Britannia in all of her beauty. She carries both a trident and the shield of Great Britain and strides confidently forward in her flowing gown. This piece is an excellent companion to the American Silver Eagle, which features a similar walking portrait of Lady Liberty in a remarkably recognizable gown. 

The coin’s weight and silver content are also featured prominently on the reverse side of the British Silver Britannia. Even the background of this coin adds to its texture – as well as its appeal to collectors. The coin features a beautiful textured background, allowing Britannia’s beauty to genuinely pop against the backdrop of .999 fine silver bullion. 

Unique Variations

There are two unique variations that collectors of British Silver Britannias should be aware of. While the King Type Britannia will likely be released yearly for as long as King Charles III is the monarch of Great Britain, the Coronation Britannia remains a popular coin that will likely never be minted again during the British King’s lifetime. We’ll cover both unique variations of the British Silver Britannia below. 

Coronation Britannia 

We begin with the Coronation Britannia. This coin is one of the rarest releases in the world. While a large number of Coronation Britannias were minted to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III, we won’t see another coronation coin for quite some time. The obverse of the coin features King Charles III’s visage. He wears the crown of England, and his various titles encircle the outer portion of the coin. 

On the reverse, note the same familiar depiction of Britannia. On this particular coin, the ridges of the coin are textured, and added detail has been applied to the rough land upon which Britannia stands. As always, she holds her trident and shield while wearing both a gown and her war helmet. This coin combines the classic look of a British Silver Britannia with a certified piece of history, celebrating the coronation of Britain’s new monarch while paying its respects to a beloved reverse-side artwork. 

King Type Britannia

In many ways, the King Type Britannia mirrors the appearance of the Coronation British Silver Britannia we discussed above. One clear difference is clear from the obverse of the coin. Instead of his crown, the King Type British Silver Britannia features King Charles III with nothing on his head. He stares forward proudly, and his titles are listed on the outskirts of this side of the coin. 

The reverse features the same Britannia artwork that characterizes the Coronation Britannia. If you’re a fan of King Charles III on the Britannia, we have some good news. These coins are going to feature the new monarch of Great Britain for the foreseeable future. Remember: the obverse of a British Silver Britannia always features the current head of the British royal family. For as long as King Charles III wears the British crown, anticipate that he’ll appear on future editions of the Britannia. 

Investing in British Silver Britannia Coins

Investors have flocked to the yearly releases of the British Silver Britannia for decades. As King Charles III begins to appear on royally inspired coins around the world, there’s no guesswork involved: British Silver Britannias are going to continue their track-record of impressive popularity. Investors often consider British Silver Britannias a hallmark of a diversified precious metal portfolio. 

If you’re considering adding British Silver Britannias to your growing precious metals collection, take a look at the tips we’re discussing below. We’re explaining the silver content, historical price performance, and tips for new buyers necessary for new British silver investors. 

Silver Content 

The silver content of the British Silver Britannia has changed over the years. Until 2012, the piece featured only .958 fine silver. After 2013, however, the Royal British Mint unveiled their plans to mint the coins using the industry-standard .999 silver purity. This means more silver for your money. Interestingly enough, Gold Britannias feature a small amount of silver as well. Older coins in the gold series were mixed with copper, but newer releases combine gold with silver to create its classic look and alloyed toughness. 

Historical Price Performance 

Historically, British Silver Britannias have done well on the secondary market. We attribute this to a number of factors. For the most part, we’re impressed with the ability of the Britannia to combine numismatic value with pure bullion content. For smart investors, finding coins that provide multiple avenues to value appreciation is a smart move. British silver coins are always popular with collectors. The long history of the British Royal Mint, as well as the mint’s tendency to celebrate important historical events with their silver coins, helps to make their coins some of the most numismatically valuable on the planet. 

We don’t anticipate that you’ll double or triple your investment on a basic British Silver Britannia. Still, the coin continues to increase in value, particularly during bullish runs in the spot price of silver. When silver’s value increases, British Silver Britannias become more expensive to buy – and more profitable to sell. During tough times in the precious metals market, it might be harder to sell your Britannia without losing some money on your initial purchase. 

How to Buy British Silver Britannia Coins

Hero Bullion makes it easy for collectors to buy the British Silver Britannias that they love. But whether you buy from us or another precious metals dealer, we want you to have all the information you need to make an informed purchasing decision. Below, we’ll discuss two big tips for new investors who want to buy British Silver Britannias for cheap: comparing prices and timing the market. 

Comparing Prices

Always try to compare prices before making any larger bullion purchase. Silver Britannias come with high premiums. This is mostly unavoidable. Compared to silver rounds and silver bars, coins produced from respected government mints always come with relatively expensive premiums over spot price. To cut down on the price you pay for pure silver, it might be necessary to shop through multiple dealers before choosing one to do business with. 

With any bullion product, your main goal is to buy silver at a price as close to spot as possible. Take a look at current silver prices to determine whether or not your favorite dealer is offering competitive prices. You won’t ever find Silver Britannias for their melt value alone. Regardless of which dealer you buy from, expect to pay some sort of premium over spot price. However, shopping through multiple distributors can help to limit the high prices you pay for British Silver Britannias. 

Timing the Market

Even for the most experienced investors, timing the market is a difficult task. Let’s boil it down to the simplest terms possible. When silver is high, you want to sell. And when silver hits a new low, it’s time to buy the dip. 

Final Thoughts: Buying British Silver Britannia Coins

British Silver Britannia coins are some of the world’s most popular precious metal products for a number of reasons. Today, the coins have seized a lion’s share of the global bullion market. Equipped with intricate, beautiful, and culturally relevant designs, the Britannia is a classic bullion coin with quite a bit to offer investors. 

Hero Bullion offers a wide range of Silver Britannias to help you build your silver stack with confidence!