Description
The accession of King Charles III has meant that, for the first time in over seventy years, coins with a new monarch have been struck. Generally the mint will draw an end to the minting of coins for one monarch, and wait for the following year to begin producing those for the new monarch.
However, for the first time in history, in a handful of circumstances, the coins of Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III have overlapped meaning there exist coins of two different monarchs with the very same year-date!
The pure silver one ounce Britannia is one of these coins. The 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Britannia was released late in 2022, but it has now been withdrawn and replaced by a new King Charles III version, but with the same year-date, 2023.
This means there are two different editions of the same coin – the 2023 one ounce silver Britannia – with two different monarchs on the obverses!
MOTHER AND SON
Giving these two coins even greater significance is the fact that the two monarchs that appear on coins with the same year-date are not only one monarch and his predecessor, but a son and his mother.
This is the first time in history this has happened on the silver Britannia series. Both coins are struck to brilliant Uncirculated standards and each coin is minted from an ounce of 99.9% pure silver.
THE SILVER BRITANNIA: ONE OF THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE SILVER BULLION COINS
The silver bullion one-ounce Britannia was first minted in Britain in 1997 with the aim of producing a silver coin in convenient bullion weights. For the first sixteen years it was minted in 95.8% pure silver – a purity that is known as Britannia silver – and at a diameter of 40mm to achieve the one ounce of pure gold. Then, in 2013, to fall in line with most of the other silver bullion coins around the world, it began being minted in 99.9% pure silver and at a diameter of 38.6mm (a smaller diameter was required as there was now less alloyed metal with the silver).
In 2023, the silver Britannia continues to lead the way in defining security in the bullion market with four ground breaking security features to create the most visually secure coin in the world. These additions both decorate and protect the coin, just as the micro-text that borders the design states – ‘Decus et Tutamen’, which translates as ‘An ornament and a safeguard’.
In the lower left-hand of the design, below Britannia’s flowing gown, is a trident to represent her naval history. As the viewer changes their perspective this trident becomes a padlock, emphasising the coin’s secure nature.
Surface animation behind Britannia reflects the movement of waves, and fine details such as the Union flag on Britannia’s shield have been highlighted by tincture lines.
