What are the Cheapest Gold Britannia Coins?

The gold Britannia is an iconic British coin that enjoys popularity and liquidity all over the world. The flagship coin has become the backbone of any gold investment portfolio. It is interesting to note that, unlike the gold sovereign, the Britannia has only been around since 1987. So, the coin is available at relatively low premiums and does not command a historical or rarity value. Due to continuous mintage by the Royal Mint, the coin is easily available in abundance.

Why is the gold Britannia an attractive investment?

For gold investors, these coins offer amazing value due to mass production and large sizes. Additionally, the gold Britannia is completely tax-free in the UK due to its status as legal tender. Investors do not have to pay VAT or CGT (Capital Gains Tax) on these coins. This means that any profits that an investor may make through the sale of gold Britannia coins are tax-free up to a limit of £12,000 in a single tax year. Undoubtedly, the tax efficiency factor hugely enhances its appeal for investors.

Gold bullion coins do not carry hefty premiums

Where can one buy cheap gold Britannia coins?

Usually, the latest year of issue Britannia is the cheapest for the simple reason that they are the most plentiful. It is important to note that investors should look for bullion coins to be able to buy at the best rate. According to the Royal Mint, the Gold Britannia bullion coin is manufactured each year with an unlimited mintage. However, this does not imply that infinite numbers of the coin will become available every year.

The actual production numbers are largely dependent on market demand. These numbers are also dependent on the amount of gold that the Royal Mint can source every year to meet the required demand and produce the gold Britannia coins. The coins are struck at the Royal Mint’s facility in Llantrisant where blank, faceless 1-ounce gold coins are received by the state of the art coin pressing machinery and printed with the obverse and reverse of the Britannia coins. Of these, the basic, mass-produced bullion version is cheaper than any special edition varieties or proof productions.

What are the other avenues of buying the cheapest gold Britannia coins?

Generally, older Britannias cost more due to scarcity and collectability, but occasionally it may be possible to find even cheaper pre-owned coins if someone has sold a large quantity at one time. In fact, one of the guiding principles in buying gold coins is to generally avoid older coins that carry hefty premiums and totally avoid obscure gold coins.

Low mintage in specific years can also be a problem, raising the price of the coin due to scarcity. For example, in 1998, the Royal Mint released only 750 gold Britannia bullion coins. Similarly, in 2002, only 945 coins of the 1-ounce gold Britannia were released. These numbers are much smaller when compared to 2010 when 14,727 gold Britannia bullion coins were minted.

So, buying the cheapest gold Britannia coins can mean looking out for the years of issue with easy availability and large mintage numbers. Of course, since 2013 the gold Britannia is also available in a greater number of size options like the half, quarter, one 10^th and one 20^th of an ounce. These are likely to be cheaper, due to the lesser amount of gold contained in the coin.

The Royal Mint manufacturing facility in Llantrisant

Call Physical Gold to find out about the best deals in gold coins

Physical Gold is a highly reputed, leading gold dealer in the country. We can offer the best advice when it comes to purchasing gold Britannia coins at the cheapest prices. Call us today on (020) 7060 9992 or get in touch with us via email.

Image credits: Jeremy Schultz and Wikimedia Commons