| Coin | Silver Half Ounce 2011 Britannia |
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Britannia coins are British bullion coins issued by the Royal Mint in gold since 1987 and in silver since 1997. The original Britannia silver coins contain one troy ounce (1 oz) of silver and have a face value of £2.
Silver Britannias are also issued in fractional sizes of one-half, one-quarter, one-tenth, 1/20th and 1/40th of a troy ounce and with face values of £1, 50p, 20p, 10p and 5p respectively. There is also a five-ounce coin of face value £10.
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 half-ounce (1/2oz) silver coin was issued only in Proof FDC grade in mint sets, and not individually. |
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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 ' 1 ' POUND '. 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, 1/2 OUNCE FINE SILVER.
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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