It’s a big anniversary for the Britannia and the Royal mint have an epic proof range out now

One of the most eagerly awaited coins to be released every year, the proof Britannia has been home to some quite sublime designs since it debuted. The gold Britannia bullion coin first launched in 1987 and the silver in 1997, so 2017 represents a double anniversary that was always going to be marked on this release. To do so, the Royal Mint has employed a mintmark in the shape of a trident, something synonymous with the figure of Britannia.

An enhanced mix of coins this year totalling up to seventeen variants. Eight silver, eight gold and a solitary platinum coin make up the range, ranging in size from a 1/40 oz up to 30 oz. There are a couple of unusual new sizes here. There’s no kilo silver, something the Royal Mint sells for around £2,050 on other designs, but there is a 20 oz design filling the hole. Selling for £1,650, this seems to be a pricey alternative, coming in at £82.50 per oz compared to £64.  Likewise the kilo gold used elsewhere has been replaced with a 30 oz variant, although the price here is ballpark per oz with the kilo. Seems strange to move away from metric when the market will inevitably move in the opposite direction.

New this year is a ¼oz platinum coin. A great addition to the range, we do have to note the high price, however. Selling for £495, he equivalent gold coin retails £445. Given that gold has been hovering around the £960 per oz mark and platinum at just £710 (seriously, what the hell happened to platinum?), it’s an anomaly worth pointing out. The Royal Mint have never been a hawker of cheap wares, but the platinum coin seems out of whack even amidst the range itself.

As for the design by Louis Tamlyn, we personally love it. We feel it best to mix up the artistic style from year to year and this is a striking and unusual one that works well. The flow from figure to map is beautifully done and it all looks very dynamic and modern. Obviously a matter of personal taste, we’ve got no complaints here. All are available to buy now and you can see mintages and options further down. We should have some much better images shortly.

2017 PROOF ANNIVERSARY BRITANNIA SILVER, GOLD & PLATINUM COINS

What are the combinations that you can purchase this coin in the? Well there are quite a few ways to get your hands on which of the seventeen variants you want, but it’s likely you’ll have to stump up for other coins as well, as only a few are available individually.

Those that can be bought individually are the platinum coin, the 1/40 oz, ¼ oz, 5 oz and 30 oz gold coins, and for silver, just the 1 oz, the 5 oz and the 20 oz. There’s an epic silver set comprising six coins with the largest at an ounce in weight and the smallest one of the ridiculous 1/40 oz coins with an 8 mm diameter. That sells for £215. The three individual silver coins sell for £85, £415 and £1,650 from smallest to largest.

Two gold sets are available. One incorporates the three traditional fractional sizes (½, ¼, 1/10), the other the six coins from 1 oz down. The former is £1,425 and the latter £3,295. The four gold coins retail at £70, £445, £8250 and for the biggest coin, a staggering £46,995.

2017 BRITANNIA PRESENTATION

Britannia is an integral part of British history, her story interwoven with that of the nation. She has appeared on the coinage for almost 2,000 years, an enduring symbol of strength and stability. Now, as we look back to the launch of the flagship gold Britannia bullion coin 30 years ago, and the silver Britannia bullion coin 20 years ago, they are recognised across the world for their quality and beauty. In the spirit of reinvention, the annual release of The Royal Mint’s Britannia Proof coin has also become a showcase for modern artists to bring their unique perspective to the popular British icon.

Britannia is an enduring symbol of the nation, reflecting the spirit of heritage, strength and progress that Britain identifies with. Throughout changes in art, politics, technology, and popular culture, she has provided different meaning throughout the ages and outlasted passing trends. Her popularity with the public has made her one of the oldest and most recognisable emblems of Britain, where she has been adopted on signs and monuments throughout the United Kingdom. While firmly rooted in the times of the Romans, a modern Britannia has emerged, appearing as a symbol of design excellence in high fashion magazines and associated with all things fashionable during the ‘Cool Britannia’ phase in the 1990s.

On the 20th anniversary of the silver Britannia bullion coin, fine art student Louis Tamlyn has created a contemporary reverse design, reflecting a time of political change when the eyes of the world have often been on Britain. His design also contains the trident mint mark that celebrates these important anniversaries.

SPECIFICATIONS

DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
£250 UKP 0.999 SILVER 625.2 g 100.00 mm PROOF 350 YES / YES
£10 UKP 0.999 SILVER 156.295 g 65.00 mm PROOF 1600 YES / YES
£2 UKP 0.999 SILVER 31.21 g 38.61 mm PROOF 10800 YES / YES
£1 UKP 0.999 SILVER 15.71 g 27.00 mm PROOF 2600 SET / YES
£0.5 UKP 0.999 SILVER 7.86 g 22.00 mm PROOF 2600 SET / YES
£0.2 UKP 0.999 SILVER 3.15 g 16.50 mm PROOF 2600 SET / YES
£0.1 UKP 0.999 SILVER 1.58 g 12.00 mm PROOF 2600 SET / YES
£0.05 UKP 0.999 SILVER 0.8 g 8.00 mm PROOF 2600 SET / YES
DENOMINATION COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIAMETER FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
£25 UKP 0.9995 PLATINUM 7.846 g 100.00 mm PROOF 850 YES / YES
£800 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 937.71 g 100.00 mm PROOF 21 YES / YES
£500 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 156.295 g 50.00 mm PROOF 280 YES / YES
£100 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 31.21 g 32.69 mm PROOF 280 YES / YES
£50 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 15.60 g 27.00 mm PROOF 780 YES / YES
£25 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 7.80 g 22.00 mm PROOF 3280 YES / YES
£10 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 3.13 g 16.50 mm PROOF 780 YES / YES
£1 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 1.58 g 12.00 mm PROOF 580 YES / YES
£0.5 UKP 0.9999 GOLD 0.8 g 8.00 mm PROOF 2080 CARD / YES
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