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.
After 2013, the proof versions of the coin feature a different design each year, while the bullion versions of the coin - such as this one - have the classic, or "definitive" Standing Britannia reverse design.
The mint says about the coin: Britannia has represented a nation and its people since Roman times and more than two thousand years later the icon is still instantly recognisable on a bullion coin.
Designed by the team behind the United Kingdom’s 12-sided £1 coin, known as "the world’s most secure coin", the Britannia 2024 bullion coin features four innovative security features that make it one of the most visually secure coins in the world. Surface animation provides a background for Britannia, reflecting the flow of waves as the coin is moved, and between this and the banding of the coin you will find micro-text with the wording "Decus et Tutamen", which translates as ‘"An ornament and a safeguard" and describes the features that both decorate and protect the coin. A latent feature in the lower-hand segment of the coin switches between a trident and a padlock based on the viewer’s perspective - emphasising her maritime strength and the coin’s secure nature - and details such as the Union flag on Britannia’s shield have been specially highlighted with tincture lines. |