1 oz British Britannia Silver Coin, previous years

History

For more than 1,000 years The Royal Mint has innovated to create coins that are both beautiful and secure. In 2021, Britannia, the symbol of Britain, leads the way to redefine security in the bullion market, the embodiment of this drive for the very best in design and security. This latest evolution of an icon takes Philip Nathan’s acclaimed interpretation of Britannia and adds four groundbreaking security features to create the most visually secure coin in the world. These additions both decorate and protect the coin, just as the micro-text that borders the design states – DECUS ET TUTAMEN, or AN ORNAMENT AND A SAFEGUARD. In the lower left-hand of the design, below Britannia’s flowing gown, is a trident to represent her naval history. As the viewer changes their perspective this trident becomes a padlock, emphasising the coin’s secure nature. Surface animation behind Britannia reflects the movement of waves, and fine details like the Union Flag on Britannia’s shield have been highlighted by tincture lines.

This is the only silver coin to carry the new security details. These features are also available on the 1oz, 1/2oz, 1/4oz and 1/10oz fine gold editions of the coin.

The Royal Mint is one of the oldest and most respected government institutions of Great Britain. Its long operating history, by some estimates over 1100 years, and coupled with its production of many of the world’s most famous coins, like the gold sovereign, has contributed to making it one of the best known and renowned mints in the world. Since 1279 when the mint established its operation in the Tower of London, it has been responsible for the production of coins of the United Kingdom. Its reputation for excellence and trust was further reinforced when Sir Isaac Newton became Master of the Royal Mint. During his tenure at the Royal Mint, he was responsible for moving the British pound to the gold standard.

Today the Royal Mint is not only responsible for minting coins used for circulation in the UK, but is likewise producing official coinage for more than 60 countries in the world. However, the most important and renowned coin ever to come out of its minting presses has without doubt been the sovereign gold coin which even today is being produced at its minting facility in the town of Llantrisant, Wales, UK. The accuracy and quality of the modern gold sovereign coin is the same as it was two hundred years ago, containing 22 karats of fine gold and weighing exactly 7.98805 grams. The popularity of the gold sovereign has likewise not changed, as confirmed in 2014 when the Royal Mint ran out of 2014 sovereign gold coins due to exceptional demand. The gold sovereign is without doubt one of the foremost gold coins ever to be produced and the fact that almost 100,000,000 sovereigns gold coins have been minted since 1957 is a testament to their excellence and trustworthiness. The reputation of the gold sovereign coin as “the chief coin of the world” will live on for centuries, as savvy investors will always prefer to keep a portion of their wealth in gold coins which are secure, liquid and trustworthy.