1/10 oz 1987 Great Britain Britannia Gold Bullion Coin - Proof Strike

Product Description:

Britannia 1987 Proof Set
In October 1987, the Royal Mint issued a new United Kingdom gold bullion coin. Named after the symbolic figure of Britannia, who graces the reverse design, the bullion coin was struck in four different denominations: £100, £50, £25, and £10, containing one ounce, half-ounce, quarter-ounce, and one-tenth of an ounce of fine gold, respectively.

To commemorate the introduction of these prestigious coins, the Royal Mint issued a strictly limited number of each denomination to Proof standard. Only 10,000 of each of these coins were reserved for issue in the four-coin Britannia Proof Collection.

Britannia and the British Coinage
The legendary figure of Britannia first appeared as a personification of the Roman province of Britain on a Roman Imperial coin of Emperor Hadrian (117–138 AD). She featured on the Roman coinage of subsequent emperors for the next 150 years, making her final appearance on a coin issued during the usurpation of Carausius (286–293 AD).

After a long interval of nearly fifteen hundred years, Britannia was reintroduced on the reverses of copper halfpennies and farthings of 1672. At this period, English coin designs were almost uniformly heraldic, and for a time, the new Britannia coppers were said to have been hoarded for their beauty.

For the next three centuries, famous coin designers were inspired to feature Britannia in their designs. Although she subtly changed her appearance to accommodate the styles and trends of the designers and artistic movements of the times, she remained fundamentally unchanged in character and form. With two notable exceptions—the British Trade Dollar and the silver florins of Edward VII—she has been portrayed on coins as a seated figure, elegantly draped in a robe.

Britannia in 1987
What distinguishes the 1987 Britannia from her illustrious predecessors is that the designer, Philip Nathan, depicted his personification of Britain as a standing figure. This upright pose is reminiscent of the much-acclaimed design by the Royal Mint engraver G. W. De Saulles for the Edward VII silver florin issued between 1902 and 1910, and the Trade Dollar first struck in 1895 for circulation in the Far East.

Although Philip Nathan has chosen to depict Britannia in an unfamiliar standing pose, she is nevertheless unmistakable as the personification of Britain. It is this continuity of a time-honoured traditional theme that ensures her popularity and a rightful place among the Britannias portrayed by eminent designers over the past three hundred years.

The obverse of the 1987 Britannia depicts the regal portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Raphael Maklouf. The inscription and border of the obverse have, however, been specially modified to match the style of the reverse.

Coin
Only 10,000 1987 four-coin Britannia Proof Sets were issued for worldwide distribution. In addition, 2,500 each of the one-ounce and half-ounce Britannias, and 2,500 each of the quarter-ounce and one-tenth ounce Britannias, were reserved for issue as individual pieces. A further 12,500 of the lower denominations were made available in a two-coin presentation case.

The utmost care has been taken by Royal Mint craftsmen to ensure that each Britannia coin is in perfect Proof condition. Only the finest quality blanks and specially prepared dies were used to achieve the polished field and delicate frosted relief finish. For this reason, it is advisable to avoid handling your coins, as fingerprints or marks will impair the surface.