Silver Britannia Coin Information and Technical Specification
Author: Lawrence Chard - Director and Expert Numismatist
Published: 9 Nov 2018
Last Updated: 15 Jan 2021
Contents↑
Synopsis
Here, we look at some of the technical aspects of one of the UK's most collectible coins.
In 1997, for the tenth anniversary of the gold bullion Britannias, a new design was rolled out. This shows Britannia standing driving a chariot drawn by two horses, in the manner of Boudicca, or Boudicea as she is better known.
In addition, a new set of Britannia Silver Bullion Coins were introduced, weighing, containing similarly to their gold counterparts, one ounce, half ounce, quarter ounce, and tenth ounce of fine silver. For obvious reasons, silver Britannias were struck in Britannia silver (958 parts per thousand) instead of the more usual Sterling silver (925 parts per thousand), But they are now struck in fine silver (999 parts per thousand).
With the four gold versions, and the four silver bullion coins each of which must be counted as a separate denomination, Britannia had now appeared on a total of eighteen different British coin denominations.
Technical Specification
Silver Britannia Technical Specification
| Size | Face Value | Diameter | Weight | Alloy | Silver Content | Silver Content |
| mms. | Grams | /1.000 | Grams | Troy Ounces | ||
| One Ounce (1997 - 2012) | 2 Pound | 40.00 mm | 32.45 grams | .958 | 31.10 grams | 1.0000 |
| Half Ounce (1997 - 2012) | 1 Pound | 27.00 mm | 16.22 grams | .958 | 15.55 grams | 0.5000 |
| Quarter Ounce (1997 - 2012) | 50 Pence | 22.00 mm | 8.11 grams | .958 | 7.77 grams | 0.2500 |
| Tenth Ounce (1997 - 2012) | 20 Pence | 16.50 mm | 3.24 grams | .958 | 3.10 grams | 0.1000 |
| One Ounce (2013 - Present) | 2 Pounds | 38.61 mm | 31.21 grams | .999 | 31.10 grams | 1.0000 |
| Half Ounce (2013 - Present) | 1 Pound | 27.00 mm | 15.71 grams | .999 | 15.69 grams | 0.5000 |
| Quarter Ounce (2013 - Present) | 50 Pence | 22.00 mm | 7.86 grams | .999 | 7.85 grams | 0.2500 |
| Tenth Ounce (2013 - Present) | 20 Pence | 16.50 mm | 3.15 grams | .999 | 3.10 grams | 0.1000 |
| Twentieth Ounce (2013 - Present) | 10 Pence | 12.00 mm | 1.58 grams | .999 | 1.578 grams | 0.0500 |
| Twenty-fifth Ounce (2014- Present) | 5 Pence | 8.00 mm | 0.8 grams | .999 | 0.799 grams | 0.0400 |
Britannia & The Lion
Another new design of Britannia is that on the 2001 gold and silver Britannias. This shows Britannia standing beside a lion, in a portrayal reminiscent of the Una & the Lion £5 gold coins of 1839.
According to the Royal Mint:
"This year's Britannia Gold and Silver Proof and Silver Bullion coins bear an exciting new reverse design, the third image of Britannia by Philip Nathan. The 2001 design combines Britannia with the British Lion and, to make Britannia even more British, depicting her dress and helmet as North European in style rather than South European. The vertical form of the figure of Britannia is matched by the lettering, giving the name Britannia, the weight of the coin and the date 2001. The design is anchored by the lion as the two figures move purposefully forward with a sense of unity and inseparability. The obverse bears the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of Her Majesty the Queen with the legal tender value of each coin below the portrait."
Various Britannia Coin Designs
For 2003, the Britannia features another new design, this time a helmeted head of Britannia, and a wave pattern superimposed. It reminds us of a jigsaw!
2003 Helmeted Head
In 2005, the Royal Mint introduced a further "new" design, this time a seated Britannia, reminding us of the earliest representation of Britannia on any coin:
2005 Seated Britannia
2007 Britannia Seated with Lion
2008 Britannia Standing at the Seaside
Further Reading
Navigate to our hub page for Britannia - The Story of Britannia on Coins to read all articles.
