1 oz British Gold Britannia Coins
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1 oz British Gold Britannia Coin | As Low As
$3402.72
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The 1 oz British Gold Britannia is the largest and best-known of the official bullion coins of the United Kingdom. The coin features a troy ounce of .9999 fine gold and is available through most reputable precious metals dealers.
1 oz British Gold Britannia Price
The starting point for the price of the Britannia is the same as it is for almost all gold instruments. The spot price for a troy ounce of gold represents the baseline amount that you would ever have to pay for one.
However, it is rare to find a 1 oz British Gold Britannia at spot price. Instead, you will have to pay the dealer’s premium, which is the amount of money over the spot price that the dealer charges for its profit and as a surcharge for connecting you with your preferred precious metals piece.
For the most part, the premium for a Britannia is going to be around 4% over the spot price. It might be slightly higher if you want a specific year, or lower if you are fine with whatever comes.
In general, the premium for a 1 oz British Gold Britannia is slightly lower than that of other coins with the same weight and purity. Although there is literally nothing wrong with this coin and there are never any concerns about authenticity, the coin simply does not have the same level of prestige as the Canadian Gold Maple Leafs and Australian Lunars of the world.
Find the Lowest Price on 1 oz British Gold Britannia
Now, there are some strategies you can undertake to ensure that you are receiving the most economical prices on the 1 oz British Gold Britannia. These strategies are the best way to get as close to the spot price as you can.
However, before we go through those techniques, it’s important to point out that the 1 oz British Gold Britannia specifically has very little difference between its premiums. So, though what we will suggest will help, it might be a bit muted for this specific coin.
Anyway, the first thing to do is avoid proof or uncirculated versions of the Britannia. Stick to the bullion editions of the coin in order to set your potential group of Britannias to buy.
We also mentioned the second strategy above. If you can confine your business to Britannias from a random year, rather than a specific year, you’ll see benefits in the premiums you pay.
Finally, the same pricing rules that apply to Sam’s Club or Costco apply to precious metals, too. If you buy in bulk, your per-Britannia cost is going to be lower than if you buy them as singletons. 1 oz British Gold Britannias are available in 10-coin plastic tubes, and present one of the best options for buying in a cost-effective manner.
Description
The 1 oz British Gold Britannia appeared in 1987, only 2 years after the US debuted the American Gold Eagle. Its aim was similar to that of the Gold Eagle.
Britain wanted to compete with the South African Krugerrand due both to the economic and political realities of the time. South Africa’s racist apartheid system had become known internationally, and many countries resolved to ban the Krugerrand and debut their own bullion coin as a rebuke.
The obverse of the coin features Britannia herself, a Roman goddess that became a common representation of the British Isles themselves. She wears a Roman helmet, holds a trident in her right hand as a nod to the British Navy, and holds a shield with the British flag on it in her left hand.
The Britannia’s reverse, unsurprisingly, pays tribute to the sitting monarch of Great Britain. Until recently, therefore, it featured Queen Elizabeth II. More recent Britannias necessarily depict King Charles III. However, the Queen Elizabeth coins featured three different versions that showed the queen both in different garments and different ages.
Unlike the Krugerrand and the Gold Eagle, however, the Britannia is not minted in 22-karat (91.67%) gold. Instead, the British elected to provide an answer to the Gold Maple Leaf and the Chinese Panda.
Coin Highlights
If you want a summary of what you get the 1 oz British Gold Britannia, consult the highlights below:
- 1 troy ounce of gold.
- Coin is minted in .9999 fine gold.
- Obverse features the goddess Britannia.
- Reverse features either Queen Elizabeth II or Charles III
- First debuted in 1987.
- Face value of £100.
- Four different security elements on the reverse, including a wave texture pattern in the background.
Fractional Coins
Now, even though the 1 oz Britannias are some of the most economical among high purity bullion coins, they are, nevertheless, quite expensive for most people due to the high spot price for gold. Even if you are fairly well-heeled, dropping thousands of dollars for a single coin may give you pause.
The Royal Mint understands this fact quite well. So, like many sovereign mints, it produces smaller bullion coin versions of its primary products that contain various fractions of a troy ounce of gold, rather than a full ounce.
The three denominations of fractional Britannias that the Royal Mint are the ½ oz, the ¼ oz, and the 1/10 oz. Of the three, the 1/10 oz coin is the most popular for investors, as it is the least expensive way to purchase a Gold Britannia.
However, it’s important to bear in mind that the premium percentages on these coins are going to be much higher than buying the full ounce coins. Because there is an added cost to produce them, they require more expense on a per-unit basis.
They are still cheaper in an absolute sense, but they are not the most cost-effective way to buy gold.
Specifications
Bullion Dealers |
JM Bullion, Provident Metals, BGASC, Silver.com |
Years produced |
1987 - Present |
Mint Mark |
No |
Coin weight |
1 troy ounce |
Purity |
.9999 |
Diameter |
32.69 mm |
Thickness |
2.5 mm |
Manufacturer |
The Royal Mint (UK) |
Obverse design |
The Roman goddess Britannia |
Reverse design |
The British monarch at the time of minting |
Designers |
Multiple for obverse; Philip Nathan for reverse |
Edge design |
Reeded |
Packaging type |
Plastic flip |
Shipping costs |
JM Bullion (free over $199) |