2018 Gold Britannia 1oz

2018 Britannia Gold Coin

The 2018 1oz Gold Britannia struck in 999.9 fineness 24 carat gold and is minted by The Royal Mint. The coins will come in a Royal Mint tube if bought in quantities of ten. Smallers orders will come individually, but the Britannia coin capsules can be ordered to protect them.

The coin benefits from a face value of £100, qualifying it as legal tender. As with all UK currency coins, the Gold Britannia is CGT exempt and VAT free in the UK. This has led to the Britannia being one of the most popular choices for UK investors.

The fifth portrait Queen Elizabeth by Jody Clark features on the obverse of this coin. With the monarch’s age, this portrait (first issued in 2015) will likely be the last portrait of the Queen. The crown worn by the Queen is the King George IV State Diadem, generally worn to mark the annual state opening of parliament. The front of the 2018 Britannia boasts an attractive dimpling effect around the portrait.

The reverse of this coin contains the popular standing design of Britannia by Philip Nathan, surrounded by a similar radial design as the previous 2017 Gold Britannia. The Britannia motif is generally updated every few years which keeps the design fresh and enhances the collectibility of the coins.

Around the design of Britannia is the legend ‘BRITANNIA  2018 999.9 FINE GOLD’.

Why the Britannia coin was created

The first Britannia coin was minted back in 1987, with the silver Britannia version following a decade later. The original launch came a full 20 years after the ubiquitous Krugerrand was launched. Up until that point, the Royal Mint had realised on their Sovereign coin to attract investors. But the simplicity of the Krugerrands 1oz in gold weight appealed to the market, enabling it to become the most widely bought bullion coin. Its success sowed the seeds of the Britannias launch, with the Royal Mint keen to emulate the Krugerrand’s appeal.

For that reason, the Britannia was also created as a 22 carat 1oz gold coin, with the Britannia theme adding an air of Britishness. Certainly in the UK, the coin has achieved the desired market penetration, being the coin of choice for gold investors, particularly those seeking larger tax-free investments. The fact that the mint updated the coin’s purity to 24-carat from 2013, demonstrates their desire to spread the coin’s global appeal as the growing Asian market prefers higher purity.

Our expert opinion

An excellent low-cost option for UK investors. Its mass production and 1oz size keeps minting costs to a minimum so coins can be picked up at low premiums. The distinct lack of second-hand coins on the market demonstrates the market’s desire to buy and hold and helps maintain a strong secondary bid.