Great Britain Britannia

1) Familiarity, Name, and Country of Origin

Since 1997, the Silver coin Britannia has been minted by the British Royal Mint. It was the first European silver investment coin. The name of the coin is derived from the Britannia motif depicted on the obverse (front) of the coin.

2) Description

The depicted Britannia motif represents the personification of the British Isles according to a design by Philip Nathan. The motif is a female figure embodying the British Kingdom and bearing the same name as the former Roman province - in reverence of the Goddess Britannia, who is also considered the patron of the Kingdom. She is depicted with a trident and a shield, as well as with a helmet and flowing garment. The Britannia is surrounded by an inscription that states the weight "ONE OUNCE FINE SILVER," the name „BRITANNIA“, the year, and the name „Nathan“. In even minting years, the motif of the „Standing Britannia“ appears, while odd years deviate from this motif with changing designs (e.g., 2001 - Una with a lion/2003 - Head of Britannia).
On the reverse side (reverse), as with all coins of the Commonwealth, the portrait of the respective monarch is depicted. In 1998, the Queen's appearance was updated, and like all coins, the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and the face value are shown. The inscription reads „Elizabeth II D G REG FID DEF.“ The edge is reeded and is minted without an inscription.

3) Face Value, Legal Tender, and Value

The Silver coin Britannia is legal tender in Great Britain. The face value varies between 20 Pence and 2 Pounds, depending on the denomination of the coin (see the table below).

4) Other Units - Denominations

With a fineness of 958/1000, the Britannia has been minted in four denominations. In 2013, the fineness was increased to 999/1000:

Size	Weight	Fine Weight	Face Value	Minting Years
1 Ounce	32.45 g	31.10 g	2 GBP	from 1987, since 2013 Fine Silver
1/2 Ounce	16.23 g	15.55 g	1 GBP	from 1987, since 2013 Fine Silver
1/4 Ounce	8.11 g	7.78 g	50 Pence	from 1987, since 2013 Fine Silver
1/10 Ounce	3.25 g	3.11 g	20 Pence	from 1987, since 2013 Fine Silver

5) Special Features, Minting Years, History, and Mintage

The Silver coin was first issued on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Gold Britannia. While British silver coins are typically minted in 925/1000, this silver coin has a fineness of 958/1000 (95.8) percent. The Britannia is primarily minted in Brilliant Uncirculated condition. The mintage is approximately 100,000 pieces each year. A limited mintage is also produced in Proof quality (pp) with a quantity of 2,500 pieces. In 2007, a platinum version was issued as a one-time edition with a mintage of 250 pieces. The ½ and ¼ ounce coins