| Coin | Silver Ounce 2006 Britannia - Guardian |
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Britannia coins are British bullion coins issued by the Royal Mint in gold since 1987 and in silver since 1997. These 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 2006, the Royal Mint re-issued the design of the 2001 silver ounce, known as The Guardian or Una and the Lion, where Britannia is advancing to left with her shield raised, accompanied by a lion.
This version has selective gold plating on both sides and is part of the five-coin Britannia Golden Silhouette Collection. |
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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 ' 2 ' 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.
The Queen's effigy and the outer rim are selectively gold-plated. |
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| Reverse | |
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At centre, the standing figure of Britannia - the female personification of Great Britain, barefoot, advancing to left; her helmet is pushed back to reveal her face. She is holding a trident in her right hand which is vertical behind her; her left hand raises a shield decorated with the cross of the Union Jack - with "heraldic" stripes indicating its blue and red colours. Behind her, a lion advances to left together with her. The design is selectively gold-plated.
The background has several lines in a wave motif.
Vertically in four lines to the left of the figure, the inscription ONE OUNCE FINE SILVER. To her right, also vertical, in two lines separated by the trident, BRITANNIA 2006.
The artist's surname NATHAN (Philip Nathan) is in relief in small letters in the lower left field.
The outer rim is selectively gold-plated. |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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