British silver · Storage guide
Best storage options for the Silver Britannia
The 1 oz silver Britannia changed size in 2013. Coins from 2013 onward are 38.61 mm; earlier issues up to 2012 are 40 mm. Choose the capsule that matches your coin's year.
1 oz Silver Britannia, 2013 to date (38.61 mm)
1 oz Silver Britannia, up to 2012 (40 mm)
1/2 oz Silver Britannia (27 mm)
1/4 oz Silver Britannia (22 mm)
1/10 oz Silver Britannia (16.5 mm)
Silver 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 (£2) | 1997 to 2012 | 40.00 mm | — | 32.45 g | .958 Britannia silver | H-40.6 direct fit | [1] |
| 1oz (£2) | 2013 onwards | 38.61 mm | — | 31.21 g | .999 | H-39 direct fit | [1] |
Designs
| Year | Design | Designer | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Standing Britannia (the bullion design ever since) | Philip Nathan | [2] |
| 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. [2]
- 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. [3]
- The silver Britannia changed from 40mm .958 silver to 38.61mm .999 silver in 2013, so pre-2013 and later coins need different capsules. [1]
- Obverse portraits of Elizabeth II on silver Britannias: Raphael Maklouf to 1997, Ian Rank-Broadley from 1998 to 2015 and Jody Clark from 2015 to 2022. [4]
- Lunar privy marks appeared on 1oz silver bullion from 2013 (Snake) to 2020 (Rat), when the Royal Mint confirmed they stopped. [5]
- In 2014 some silver Britannias were struck with an obverse die intended for the Royal Mint's first Lunar Horse bullion coin, a well known error. [6]
- The 2013 ¼oz SS Gairsoppa Britannia was struck from silver recovered from a shipwreck. [5]
- King Charles III first appeared on Britannias in 2023. [1]
1oz silver Britannia bullion mintage
| Year | Bullion coins | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 88,909 | Reported | [1][7][8] |
| 1999 | 69,394 | Reported | [1][7][8] |
| 2000 | 81,301 | Reported | [1][7] |
| 2001 | 44,816 | Reported | [1][7] |
| 2002 | 36,543 or 48,816 | Sources disagree | [7][1] |
| 2003 | 73,271 | Reported | [1][7] |
| 2004 | 57,000 or 100,000 | Sources disagree | [7][1] 100,000 may be the issue limit. |
| 2005 | 57,000 | Reported | [7] |
| 2006 | 50,300 | Reported | [7] |
| 2007 | 94,000 | Reported | [7] |
| 2008 | 100,000 | May be the issue limit | [7][8] |
| 2009 | 100,000 | May be the issue limit | [7][8] |
| 2010 | 126,367 | Reported | [1][7] |
| 2011 | 100,000 | May be the issue limit | [1][7] |
| 2012 | 100,000 | May be the issue limit | [7] |
| 2013 onwards | Struck to order | Not published | [1][9] |
Lunar privy mark silver Britannia bullion
1oz silver proof Britannia
| Year | Coins | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 16,005 | Orders | [1] |
| 1998 | 3,044 | Orders | [1][8] |
| 2013 | 2,387 issued (limit 2,500) | Reported | [10] |
| 2014 | 2,981 | Reported | [1] |
| 2015 | 4,240 | Reported | [1] |
| 2016 | 4,137 | Reported | [1] |
| 2017 | 5,225 | Reported | [1] |
| 2018 | 3,630 | Reported | [1] |
| 2019 | 2,995 | Reported | [1] |
| 2020 | 4,960 | Issue limit | [1] |
| 2021 | 2,900 | Issue limit | [1] |
| 2022 | 3,500 | Issue limit | [1] |
| 2023 | 3,450 | Issue limit | [1] |
| 2024 | 3,500 | Issue limit | [1] |
Download this data as a spreadsheet: silver-britannia.csv
Sources
- Wikipedia: Britannia (coin) Secondary
- The Royal Mint: Britannia Primary
- The Royal Mint: the world's most visually secure bullion coin Primary
- JM Bullion: silver Britannia coins Secondary
- Britannia-UK: Royal Mint Britannia Secondary
- StoneX Bullion: the Britannia coin Secondary
- Free Bullion Investment Guide: UK Britannia silver bullion coin Secondary
- PhysicalGold: limits on Britannia silver coin mintage Secondary
- Royal Mint FOI response: bullion mintages (27 May 2022) Primary
- Britannia Coin Company: 2013 Britannia 1oz silver proof Secondary
Frequently asked questions
What size capsule fits the Silver Britannia?
The Silver Britannia comes in these sizes and matching capsules: 1 oz Silver Britannia, 2013 to date (38.61 mm); 1 oz Silver Britannia, up to 2012 (40 mm); 1/2 oz Silver Britannia (27 mm); 1/4 oz Silver Britannia (22 mm); 1/10 oz Silver Britannia (16.5 mm). Match the capsule’s inside diameter to your coin.
What is the best way to store a Silver Britannia?
If you are unsure of the year, measure the coin: the 2 mm difference between the pre and post 2013 issues decides which capsule fits properly. A PVC-free acrylic capsule, either direct fit or black ring, protects the coin from handling, dust and air.
Want the story behind this coin? Read the full history of the Britannia.
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.