2012 Britannia Silver Bullion Coin Available

The UK Royal Mint is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Britannia bullion coins and has released the one-ounce 2012 Britannia Silver Bullion coin with a special reverse design to mark the occasion.

This new bullion coin is struck from .958 Britannia silver, a higher standard than sterling. The one ounce piece features a weight of 32.45 grams and a diameter of 40.00 millimeters.

Britannia is a mythical figure used to represent the United Kingdom. Her image is no stranger to English coinage as it was first used on copper coins during the reign of Charles II (1649-1651). It was not until 1987, however, that the Royal Mint introduced the current series of Britannia bullion coins.

Acknowledging that quarter century in the series, the UK Royal Mint chose to return to the image of Britannia first used in the bullion program — a standing figure of Britannia which received worldwide acclaim upon its introduction. It was designed by Philip Nathan.

Philip Nathan’s original intent for the design when first created was ‘"to make more of Britannia’s links to the sea, personifying as she does the British love of things nautical and great pride in our naval history,’ according to Nathan.

The design shows the standing mythical figure on the shoreline with flowing hair and robe. Her love of peace is symbolized with an olive branch in her left hand while her readiness for war is symbolized with a trident and shield. A helmet with elongated visor and plume recalls her Roman ancestry. The reverse is surrounded by the inscriptions of "BRITANNIA," "2012" and "ONE OUNCE FINE SILVER."

"Philip Nathan’s design captures Britannia in her full splendor and is itself a triumph of numismatic art," commented Dr Kevin Clancy, Director of the Royal Mint Museum. "It draws its inspiration from a strongly maritime approach, Britannia windswept on a cliff-top, the very essence of authority and elegance. In such a momentous year for Britain it is entirely fitting for the coinage to be graced with an acknowledged masterpiece."

Struck as legal tender, the coin has a face value of £2 which is indicated on the obverse of the coin along with the inscriptions of "ELIZABETH II," "D G REG," and "FID DEF." Those inscriptions are joined by a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II of England as designed by Ian Rank-Broadley.

The 2012 Britannia Silver Bullion coin is available for £59.99 from the Royal Mint at its website of www.royalmint.com.

About the UK Royal Mint

The Royal Mint is one of the premier minting institutions of the world and can trace its lineage back over a millennia. It operated for over 500 years out of the recognizable Tower of London beginning in the late 1300’s. Operations moved to London’s Tower Hill by 1812 with its current facility established in 1967 at Llantrisant, South Wales. Through its history, it was responsible for minting the coinage of the country as well as over-seeing the creation and operation of numerous branch mint’s around the world.