British gold · Storage guide
Best storage options for the Gold Britannia
The Royal Mint's gold Britannia comes in several fractional sizes. The 1 oz coin is 32.69 mm, the half ounce 27 mm, the quarter ounce 22 mm and the tenth ounce 16.5 mm. Match the capsule to the fraction you own.
1 oz Gold Britannia (32.69 mm)
1/2 oz Gold Britannia (27 mm)
1/4 oz Gold Britannia (22 mm)
1/10 oz Gold Britannia (16.5 mm)
Gold Britannia specifications, designs and mintages
Every figure links to its source. Primary sources are mint publications and Freedom of Information responses. Secondary sources are Wikipedia, catalogues and dealers, used only where no primary figure is published. Where sources disagree we show both.
Specifications and the capsule that fits
| Size | Years | Diameter | Thickness | Weight | Fineness | Capsule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1oz (£100) | 1987 to 2012 | 32.69 mm | — | 34.05 g | .917 (22 carat) | H-32 direct fit | [1] Copper alloy to 1989, silver alloy from 1990. |
| 1oz (£100) | 2013 only | 38.61 mm | — | 31.104 g | .9999 | H-39 direct fit | [1] A larger, thinner coin for 2013 only. It needs a different capsule from every other 1oz gold Britannia. |
| 1oz (£100) | 2014 onwards | 32.69 mm | — | 31.104 g | .9999 | H-32 direct fit | [1] |
| ½oz | 2013 onwards | 27.00 mm | — | 15.6 g | .9999 | H-27 direct fit | [1] |
| ¼oz | 2013 onwards | 22.00 mm | — | 7.86 g | .9999 | A-22 direct fitAir-Tite list a 22mm black ring, but we use this direct fit for our own ¼oz gold Britannias and it holds them securely. [2] | [1] |
| 1/10oz | 2013 onwards | 16.50 mm | — | 3.13 g | .9999 | A-16 direct fit | [1] |
| 1/20oz | 2013 onwards | 12.00 mm | — | 1.58 g | .9999 | Use the finder | [1] |
| 1/40oz | Later issues | 8.00 mm | — | 0.8 g | .9999 | Use the finder | [1] |
| 5oz (£500) | 2013 onwards | 65.00 mm | — | 156.295 g | .9999 | Use the finder | [1] |
Designs
| Year | Design | Designer | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Standing Britannia (the bullion design ever since) | Philip Nathan | [3] |
| 1997 | Britannia in a horse-drawn chariot (proof) | Philip Nathan | [1] |
| 1999 | Chariot repeated, bullion and BU only | Philip Nathan | [1] |
| 2001 | Britannia with a lion | Philip Nathan | [1] |
| 2003 | Helmeted head with waves | Philip Nathan | [1] |
| 2005 | Seated Britannia | Philip Nathan | [1] |
| 2007 | Seated Britannia with lion | Christopher Le Brun | [1] |
| 2008 | Britannia with large waves and a lighthouse | John Bergdahl | [1] |
| 2009 | Chariot | Philip Nathan | [1] |
| 2010 | Corinthian-helmeted Britannia | Suzie Zamit | [1] |
| 2011 | Britannia before a large flag | David Mach | [1] |
| 2012 | Standing Britannia | Philip Nathan | [1] |
| 2013 | Britannia and owl | Robert Hunt | [1] |
| 2014 | Britannia with lion and globe | Jody Clark | [1] |
| 2015 | Corinthian helmet and shield | Antony Dufort | [1] |
| 2016 | Warrior Britannia with lion | Suzie Zamit | [1] |
| 2017 | British Isles forming Britannia's body (30th anniversary) | Louis Tamlyn | [1] |
| 2018 | Helmet with British flowers and sunburst | David Lawrence | [1] |
| 2019 | Britannia with lion, thrusting trident | David Lawrence | [1] |
| 2020 | Britannia before a flag, lion on shield | James Tottle | [1] |
| 2021 | Britannia with lion (proof) | P.J. Lynch | [1] |
| 2022 | Trident and lion shield (proof) | Dan Thorne | [1] |
| 2023 | Chariot drawn by sea-horses | Jonathan Olliffe | [1] |
| 2024 | Profile with lion-emblem helmet | Marie-Alice Harel | [1] |
| 2025 | Art Nouveau Britannia with sunburst | Bradley Morgan Johnson | [1] |
| 2026 | Profile with Longships lighthouse | Emily Damstra | [1] |
Key facts and key dates
- Bullion Britannias have carried Philip Nathan's standing Britannia since 1987; the changing designs above are proof and collector issues. [3]
- From 2021 the bullion design gained four security features: a latent image that switches between a trident and a padlock, animated waves, tincture lines on the shield and micro-text reading DECUS ET TUTAMEN. The coins went on sale on 19 October 2020. [4]
- King Charles III first appeared on Britannias in 2023. [1]
- Platinum Britannias were introduced in 2018, struck in .9995 platinum. [1]
Download this data as a spreadsheet: gold-britannia.csv
Sources
- Wikipedia: Britannia (coin) Secondary
- Air-Tite: official coin size guide (manufacturer fit chart) Primary
- The Royal Mint: Britannia Primary
- The Royal Mint: the world's most visually secure bullion coin Primary
- Royal Mint FOI response: gold coin mintage (2017) Primary
- Royal Mint FOI response: bullion mintages (27 May 2022) Primary
Frequently asked questions
What size capsule fits the Gold Britannia?
The Gold Britannia comes in these sizes and matching capsules: 1 oz Gold Britannia (32.69 mm); 1/2 oz Gold Britannia (27 mm); 1/4 oz Gold Britannia (22 mm); 1/10 oz Gold Britannia (16.5 mm). Match the capsule’s inside diameter to your coin.
What is the best way to store a Gold Britannia?
The 1 oz gold Britannia is slightly under the 32.7 mm capsule inside diameter, so expect a little movement in the direct fit. A black ring holder removes any rattle. A PVC-free acrylic capsule, either direct fit or black ring, protects the coin from handling, dust and air.
Still measuring up? Try the capsule finder to match your coin in a couple of clicks, browse the coin size guide by diameter, or filter the full capsule range by size and holder type. Buy 20 of any capsule and a matching storage tube is added free.
Browse more guides on the storage guides index.