| Coin | Gold Half Ounce 2012 Britannia - Wreath |
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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.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Britannia range, in 2012 the Royal Mint re-issued all the earlier reverse designs for a nine-coin set of gold half-ounce (£50) coins, including this version showing a seated Britannia within a wreath, which was first issued as a gold half ounce in 2007.
This was the last year when the composition was 22-carat (91.7%) gold alloyed with silver; the next year, it changed to 99.99% gold.
This half-ounce (1/2oz) gold coin was only issued in mint sets, in Proof FDC grade. |
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| Obverse | |
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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 | |
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At centre, the seated figure of Britannia - the female personification of Great Britain, facing right; in a break with tradition, she is not helmeted. Her right hand cradles a trident resting on her right shoulder. She is holding an olive branch in her outstretched left hand. Her shield, propped up beside her, is oval and is decorated with the cross of the Union Jack.
A large lion rests at Britannia's feet. In the background - sea, sailing boat and cliffs to the right; a large tree and curving olive branch to the left.
Around left and right, interrupted by the top of the olive branch, the inscription HALF OUNCE FINE GOLD BRITANNIA.
Below the exergue line, horizontally, the date of issue 2012. |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | These coins and the set they were issued in are not listed in Spink or Krause. |
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