| Coin | Gold Quarter 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 quarter ounce (1/4 oz) gold coins are denominated as Twenty-five Pounds (£25).
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 coins are typically "one-year" types usually issued in parallel with other denominations with 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 quarter-ounce (1/4oz) gold coin was issued only in Proof FDC grade, in mint sets and as individually boxed coins. |
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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 ' 25 ' 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. 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, 1/4 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.
The mintage figure is not very clear, because the half ounce was issued in sets only and is listed with mintage of 847, while the quarter ounce was issued in the same sets, as well as individually - but is listed with lower mintage? |
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| Issued in Set |
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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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