Coin | Gold Half Ounce 2011 Britannia |
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Like many other mints, the Royal Mint issues bullion coins in precious metals, having much higher intrinsic value than their face value. The half ounce (1/2 oz) gold coins are denominated as Fifty Pounds (£50).
The coins are legal tender but are not intended for circulation. They are targeted at bullion investors or collectors who appreciate the special editions as pieces of art. The mint makes a distinction between plain "bullion" coins (issued in Brilliant Uncirculated grade) and proofs; the "bullion-grade" coins have textured backgrounds of both the obverse and the reverse designs and use the generic "authoritative" design, while proofs are typically "one-year" types. They are usually issued in parallel with other denominations/sizes having the same reverse designs.
In 2011, the Royal Mint released a new reverse design for the Britannia coin range by artist David Mach, featuring a seated Britannia against an overlaid flag of the Union Jack rippling in the wind.
The composition of the coin is 91.77% gold alloyed with 8.23% silver. The half-ounce (1/2oz) gold coin was issued only in Proof FDC grade, in mint sets and not individually. |
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Obverse | |
The obverse of the coins shows the crowned mature head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (her effigy known as the "Fourth Portrait"). The Queen wears the "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" diamond tiara, a wedding gift from Queen Mary (Her Majesty's grandmother) in 1947 - which she also has on the Machin and the Gottwald portraits.
In small letters below the head, the artist's initials IRB (for Ian Rank-Broadley).
Around the effigy is the monarch's legend: ELIZABETH ' II ' D ' G REG ' FID ' DEF ' 50 ' POUNDS '. Translated from Latin: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, followed by the value and denomination in English.
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Reverse | |
At centre, the seated figure of Britannia, the female personification of Great Britain, facing right. She is wearing a crested Corinthian helmet, pushed up to reveal her face, and holds a trident in her left hand; her right hand supports a shield decorated with the cross of the Union Jack.
Overlaid on that, the centre of the reverse features the flag of the Union Jack rippling in the wind.
Around left, the inscription BRITANNIA. Around right, 1/2 OUNCE FINE GOLD.
The date 2011 is below. |
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Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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Notes | The mint sets are listed in Spink but not on the Royal Mint website; the Royal Mint only lists the total coin mintage. |
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Included in Set |
The 2011 UK Britannia Four-Coin Gold Proof Set, mintage unknown, limited to 1,000 4 coins: £100 (1oz), £50 (1/2oz), £25 (1/4oz), £10 (1/10oz)
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The 2011 UK Britannia Three-Coin Gold Proof Set, mintage unknown, limited to 250 3 coins: £50 (1/2oz), £25 (1/4oz), £10 (1/10oz)
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