The Very Highest Quality Gold Coins... |
1999 Britannia Gold Coins |
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Gold Bullion Coins
In 1987, the British Royal Mint started to issue gold bullion coins with fine gold content of 1 ounce, 1/2 ounce, 1/4 ounce, and 1/10 ounce, to compete with the South African krugerrand, and other modern bullion coins.
The design chosen was a standing figure of Britannia, similar to that used on the florins of Edward VII from 1902 to 1910.
Brief History of Gold Bullion Coins
Because the krugerrand got a head start in the bullion coin market before other countries started up production, the krugerrand is the commonest, and most easily available of all the modern bullion coins. Let's just go into a brief history. Up to the First World War, many countries used gold coins in everyday circulation. the British gold sovereign was probably the most famous, and most easily recognised coins throughout the world. By the 1930's, the gold standard was dead, and gold coins did not generally circulate, although gold sovereigns remained popular as an investment or bullion coin. Coins of other countries also continued to be used as bullion, each with different weights, and there were also two slightly different alloy fineness standards. The South African mint, in 1967, started to produce a gold coin, the krugerrand, which contained one ounce of fine gold. These were sold at a very small premium over their intrinsic gold content value. Because the gold content was exactly one ounce, it made it simple to compare prices. In 1980, three extra sizes of krugerrand were introduced, with gold contents of 1/2, 1/4, and 1/10 ounces of gold content. In 1979, the Canadian mint started to produce its own, rather more attractive, one ounce bullion coin, the maple leaf. Now many countries produce their own one ounce, and fractional, bullion coins. One of the most attractive designs is the British version, the Britannia.
For various reasons, including the introduction of VAT on gold coins in the UK since 1973, the most commonly available bullion coin in Britain is the krugerrand. Britannias in all sizes are quite difficult to find with specific dates, however, we have managed (only in March 2001!) to obtain supplies of three out of the four different sizes dated 1999. Although 1999 is now past, we can still supply these.
Technical Specifications
The following table summarises the specifications of all the four sizes.
Size | Face Value | Dmtr | Weight | Alloy | Gold Content | Gold Content |
  |   | mms. | Grams | /1.000 | Grams | Troy Ounces |
One Ounce | £100 | 32.69 | 34.0500 | .917 | 31.104 | 1.0000 |
Half | £50 | 27.00 | 17.0250 | .917 | 15.552 | 0.5000 |
Quarter | £25 | 22.00 | 8.5130 | .917 | 7.776 | 0.2500 |
Tenth | £10 | 16.50 | 3.4120 | .917 | 3.110 | 0.1000 |
Prices
Size | Available | Price £ | Price $ |
One Ounce | Ask | £See Page | £See Page |
Half Ounce | Ask | £See Page | £See Page |
Quarter Ounce | Ask | £See Page | £See Page |
Tenth Ounce | Ask | £See Page | £See Page |
...at the Lowest Possible Price |
32 - 36 Harrowside, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 1RJ, England. Telephone (44) - (0) 1253 - 343081 ; Fax 408058; E-mail: The URL for our main page is: https://24carat.co.uk | Chard(1964) Ltd |