Landmarks of Britain four-coin silver bullion series from the Royal Mint debuts with Big Ben
The ongoing rush of new limited run silver bullion coins from the big players continues with the Royal Mint debut of the first in a four-coin series called ‘Landmarks of Britain’. Regular readers will have no problem recognising the design as it first appeared in a four-coin proof set of the same name back in June 2014. Designed by Laura Clancy and Glyn Davies, the coins were lightly coloured in this set. The design was used again as the first of the £100 for £100 range in December 2014 in slightly modified form (more trees) and without colour. That one had a 50,000 mintage.
Fast forward to now and the mint have rolled the design out again and placed it on a true bullion coin of an ounce in weight. Struck in 0.999 silver, the mintage is also limited to 50,000 pieces. Sold encapsulated, the mint seems to have priced them with a premium a little higher than the Britannia and Lunar Rooster, but a touch below the 20th Anniversary Britannia, so while not the cheapest out there, it’s quite capable of mixing it up just fine in the market.
If you’ve clicked the link above and seen the original four-coin proof set, you’ve likely seen the next three designs for this series. Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Square are the subjects and all of them are, in our opinion of course, really well done and an unusual choice for a bullion series. Available from APMEX in the US, from LPM in Asia and from multiple other dealers no doubt, it’s an interesting coin and one affirming the Royal Mints increased commitment to the semi-numismatic bullion coin market.
MINTS DESCRIPTION: The coin depicts the Elizabeth Tower that dominates the skyline at the northern end of the Houses of Parliament. It is said to be one of London’s most iconic and recognisable landmarks. But while the tourists might refer to the clock as ‘Big Ben’, it is actually the great bell inside that bears the famous nickname, possibly used in honour of Sir Benjamin Hall, First Commissioner for Works 1855-1858. The original bell was cast in 1856 but quickly cracked. It was recast in 1858, but was to suffer the same fate. Finally a lighter hammer was used to strike a different section of the still damaged bell, giving us the distinctive sound, a musical note E, we know today. It is a sound that has become an unmistakable thread in the very fabric of British life.
SPECIFICATION
| NAME | 2017 LANDMARKS OF BRITAIN |
| DENOMINATION | £2 UKP |
| COMPOSITION | 0.999 silver |
| WEIGHT | 31.1 grams |
| DIAMETER | 38.61 mm |
| FINISH | Bullion |
| MODIFICATIONS | None |
| MINTAGE | 50,000 |
| BOX / COA | No / No |
Although the RM are increasing their presence in the semi-numi bullion field, they have a little way to go in raising confidence among collectors in the semi-numi field.
Capsules are a great step forward (an unfortunate oversight with their lunar range, i felt).
But they must do something to decrease the milk staining in their bullion products, as a whole. The semi-numi collectors just will not accept the risk, especially at higher premium costs.
While no mint is immune from this, there are degrees of expectation. I would class Perth mint as “less likely” to have staining/spotting, for example. The RM as “more likely” at the moment.
If they can understand the virtue of tackling this, then they will see much more attention from the semi-numi bullion buyers. Reputation for clean undamaged bullion is the key in that particular market.