Description
If you’re in the market to buy silver, the 1 oz. British Silver Britannia Coin is an excellent option. It’s the official silver bullion coin for the British Mint. This bullion coin features stunning images as important to the people of Britain as Liberty and the bald eagle are in America.
Coin Highlights:
- Contains 1 Troy oz of actual silver content.
- Issued a face value of 2 (GBP) by Great Britain.
- Obverse includes the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.
- Reverse side of the coin features the design of Britannia created in 1987 by Philip Nathan.
When the Romans began their conquest of the British Isles, the island of Britain was known as the province of Britannia. It took the Romans two centuries to fully pacify the islands native inhabitants, after which time the term Britannia came to be associated with a personification of a goddess guarding over the isles.
Starting in 1987, the British Royal Mint released a series of bullion coins featuring the famed image of Britannia as the primary design. These coins launched that year with a gold version, and the Silver Britannia Coin was issued a decade later in 1997. When the British Silver Britannia Coin was first released in 1997, it featured .958 pure silver content. That continued through 2012, with all 2013-present coins feature .999 pure silver instead.
On the obverse of all 1 oz British Silver Britannia coins, you’ll find the right-profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. However, depending upon the year of issue you receive in this listing you’ll find a different design. The first year of issue in 1997 was the one and only to feature the third-generation effigy of Her Majesty. Created by Raphael Maklouf, it was in circulation from 1985 to 1997.
Silver Britannia Coins issued from 1998 to 2015 included the fourth-generation design from Ian Rank-Broadley. The latest design, created in mid-2015 by Royal Mint Engraver Jody Clark, is available on some 2015 coins and all 2016-present issues in the Silver Britannia range.
The reverse side of the coin of all British Silver Britannia Coins includes the image of Britannia. The protector of Britain and the British Isles, she wears a Corinthian cap, wields control over the seas with her trident, and has a shield bearing the Union Jack upon it to guard against invasion.
