Base Metal "1 oz Silver" Britannia Coins - The Facts

Update from Chards Coin and Bullion Dealer:

On Tuesday 17 March 2026, we received a delivery of 2026 Silver Britannias.

During our routine goods-in inspection procedure, our warehouse team identified slight discrepancies between the expected and actual weights on some of the Monster Boxes the coins were delivered in. 

Our stringent goods in procedure, carried out under CCTV, is to:

1. Weigh every monster box and record the full weight.
2. If a monster box weighs under/over the expected weight, we then weigh every tube within the affected monster box and quarantine the affected tubes.
3. We will then conduct weight and visual checks on individual coins within those tubes. 

A genuine 1 oz Silver Britannia coin weighs approximately 31.1g however, after some monster boxes and tubes were under the expected weight, our subsequent review found some coins weighing 2–3 grams less than this expected amount.

The next step in our process is to inspect each individual coin, this is done through a series of quick visual checks to see any obvious differences from a genuine coin e.g. appearance, colour, finish, before weighing the coins and putting any suspect items through our state-of-the-art Niton Precious Metal Analyser (XRF tester). The Niton Analyser identifies the metal content of coins and jewellery and is fast, accurate, non-destructive, and a better overall process than a traditional acid test used elsewhere.

The XRF test found the suspect coins contained primarily Copper (Cu) and Nickel (Ni), rather than Silver (Ag). 

The cupronickel coins were quarantined away from the true Silver Britannias so as not to be mixed with our stock. We immediately notified The Royal Mint once who then confirmed a thorough investigation was underway to find the cause of the issue. Once we had fulfilled our checks on all incoming batches of coins, we confirmed the total number of affected coins for The Royal Mint, as well as the details of the monster boxes they arrived in.

We’re pleased that our tried and tested process was successful in identifying that the issue affected only a small number of coins. 

We want to reassure all collectors and investors that this issue relates to a very limited number of tubes only. Every 2026 1 oz Silver Britannia supplied to Chards has been fully authenticated by our usual rigorous processes. 

Britannias remain a flagship coin, admired worldwide for their design, heritage, and quality.  

To reiterate, this appears to be a rare process error, and we trust The Royal Mint's investigation will clarify the cause. 

The Coins' Details

• Design: 2026 1 oz Silver Britannia
• Metal: Cupronickel (CuNi, an alloy of copper and nickel)
• Weight: Approximately 28.2g
• Diameter: Approximately 38.6 mm

The weight, diameter and overall condition of the coins can vary slightly as the machines were not calibrated for base metal blanks.

Niton XRF Test Results

During our extensive testing of the coins, we utilised our Niton XRF Precious Metal Analyser to determine the accurate metal content of the suspect items. This machine uses x-ray fluorescence (XRF) to identify metal alloys and their elemental compositions. High-energy x-rays hit the inserted sample to detect the unique energy signatures of any elements present.

Statement by The Royal Mint

On 31st March 2026, The Royal Mint commented the following on our YouTube video; 

We recently became aware that a small number of 1oz 2026 silver Britannia bullion coins were affected by a production error. Following a thorough review, we identified this as an isolated incident occurring during less than an hour's production time, impacting just over 200 coins sent to a trade customer. During the same review, a similar quantity was identified within our own stock and immediately quarantined.  

The error resulted from an unusual combination of circumstances which meant that existing quality checks were not effective on this occasion. We have immediately implemented additional checks to ensure this cannot happen again. We apologise for the short-term impact this caused on purchasing and deliveries. We are now confident in the quality of our products and striking and despatches have resumed.  

We sincerely apologise for the concern this has caused. It is our commitment to replace any product that does not meet our quality standards, and the trust of our customers remains of the utmost importance to us. 

What To Do If You Think You Have an Error Coin

If you recently purchased a 2026 1 oz Silver Britannia from Chards and want to discuss this, we’re here to help. You can contact us via our Contact Us Form. 

If you purchased a 2026 1 oz Silver Britannia from another retailer then contact The Royal Mint directly for further assistance.

If you have any questions or would like reassurance about your orders, our team is always happy to help. 

Thank you for your continued trust in Chards Coin and Bullion Dealer.