Coin | Silver Ounce 2006 Britannia - Seated |
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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 2005 silver ounce featuring a seated Britannia, similar to the personification of Britannia originally used on coins of the Roman Emperor Claudius, and then on British halfpennies and farthings since 1672.
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 | |
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 | |
At centre, the seated figure of Britannia - the female personification of Great Britain, facing left; her helmet is pushed back to reveal her face; the rim of her robe is decorated with a geometric pattern. Her right hand rests on a shield curved in the Celtic style, decorated with the cross of the Union Jack, with heraldic stripes denoting its colours. With her left hand she cradles a trident resting on her left shoulder. The design is selectively gold-plated.
In the background, waves to the right and an oak tree to the left.
Within a toothed border, around left and right, interrupted by Britannia's helmet and trident, the inscription ONE OUNCE FINE SILVER 2006.
Below the exergue line, horizontally, BRITANNIA.
The artist's initials PN (for Philip Nathan) are in relief in small letters in the lower right field.
The outer rim is selectively gold-plated. |
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Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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