Description
The Royal Mint introduced the one-ounce Platinum Britannia in 2018, extending its Britannia bullion range, which began with gold in 1987, into platinum for the first time. Each coin contains one troy ounce of 999.5 fine platinum and measures 32.69 mm in diameter. Its £100 face value as UK legal tender is the highest in the Britannia bullion range.
The reverse carries Philip Nathan’s portrait of Britannia, the female personification of Britain, standing with her trident and shield, symbols of maritime strength and protection. Current coins carry Martin Jennings’ coinage portrait of King Charles III on the obverse; earlier coins show Queen Elizabeth II, and the 2018 coin used Jody Clark’s portrait.
Recent platinum Britannias include four advanced security features: micro-text, a latent image, tincture lines and surface animation. These features help distinguish genuine coins and reflect The Royal Mint’s investment in bullion security.
The Platinum Britannia gives investors a sovereign platinum coin from one of the world’s oldest mints. Platinum’s industrial demand means this coin can perform quite differently from gold Britannias, and platinum prices are often more volatile than gold. Coins generally carry a higher premium than platinum bars. At 999.5 fineness, the Platinum Britannia may be considered for a self-directed IRA under the tax code’s bullion rules, subject to custodian approval.
