Britannia

The Britannia is a British bullion gold coin which was first issued in 1987. It weighs one troy ounce and has a face value of 100 pounds. Fractional Britannia coins, which weigh a half, quarter, and one-tenth of an ounce, and which have face values of 50, 25, and 10 pounds respectively, have also been launched. All Britannia coins have a millesimal fineness of 916 (91.6 %, 22 carat) gold. Between 1987 and 1989, the non-gold component of Britannia coins was copper; from 1990 copper was replaced by silver.

Originally only gold Britannia coins were manufactured, however since 1997 onwards, after a silver proof set was offered, the Royal Mint has also started manufacturing silver coins under the Britannia name, which are since then released every year. The metal used in the making of these coins is "Britannia silver" with millesimal fineness 958 (95.8 %), an alloy of silver containing 95.8% silver, with the balance being copper. Silver Britannia coins are available in weights of 1 ounce, 1/2 ounce, 1/4 ounce and 1/10 ounce. Silver Britannia coins belonging to 1997 and following even-numbered years have a reverse design which depicts a standing Britannia figure. Ever since 1999, all Britannia coins belonging to odd-numbered years feature a series of alternate, non-repeating depictions of Britannia, instead of the standing figure on the reverse.