100g Britannia Gold Bar

The Royal Mint's 100g Bar

The 100g Britannia gold bar brings the Royal Mint's name and the Britannia design to one of the most premium-efficient bar sizes available. At 999.9 fine gold (the same purity as the Britannia coin series since 2013), this bar combines the cost advantages of the 100g weight class with production by the United Kingdom's sovereign mint.

The Royal Mint's entry into the bar market represents a different competitive dynamic from its coins. The Gold Britannia coin dominates the UK market partly because of its CGT exemption as legal tender. The 100g Britannia bar, like all gold bars regardless of manufacturer, is not legal tender and does not carry CGT exemption. This means UK investors choosing the bar over the coin are prioritising lower purchase premiums over tax-free capital gains, a tradeoff that depends entirely on whether the investor expects to sell at a gain above the annual CGT allowance.

For non-UK investors who do not benefit from the Britannia coin's CGT exemption, the bar format offers a lower-premium route to Royal Mint gold. The sovereign-mint backing provides an implicit quality guarantee that private refiners cannot match, and the Britannia design lends the bar stronger brand recognition than generic refiner bars.

100g Britannia Bar Specifications

The bar carries the Britannia design on the obverse, making it instantly recognisable as a Royal Mint product. The reverse features the Royal Mint's hallmark, along with the bar's weight, purity, and serial number. Each bar is sealed in tamper-evident assay packaging.

The Royal Mint has been producing coins at its Llantrisant facility in South Wales since 1968 and has been the official coin maker for the United Kingdom for over 1,100 years. The bar production line uses the same quality control standards as the Mint's coin operations, with each bar individually inspected and serialised.

The 100g Britannia bar is a minted (struck) product, giving it the sharp detail and polished finish associated with PAMP and Valcambi bars rather than the rougher surface of cast bars. The Britannia figure on the obverse is the same female personification of Britain that has appeared on Royal Mint coins since the Roman era, providing an instant visual identifier that connects the bar to one of the world's most established minting institutions. The sealed assay packaging includes the bar's serial number and a certificate of authenticity.

Tax Position for the 100g Britannia Gold Bar

The critical distinction for UK buyers: the 100g Britannia bar is not CGT-exempt, unlike the Britannia coin. This difference often surprises buyers who assume the Britannia name confers the same tax treatment regardless of form. Only coins with a sterling face value, as UK legal tender, are exempt from Capital Gains Tax. Bars, even those produced by the Royal Mint and bearing the Britannia design, are bars, not coins, and do not qualify.

• United Kingdom: VAT-exempt as investment gold (999.9 purity). Subject to CGT on gains above the 3,000 GBP annual allowance at 18-24%. The Britannia bar's lower purchase premium compared to coins is offset by CGT liability on disposal, making the total cost comparison dependent on the investor's specific gain and tax position.
• United States: IRA-eligible at 999.9 fine from the Royal Mint (meets the 99.5% IRS minimum). Capital gains taxed at the collectibles rate of up to 28%.
• European Union: VAT-exempt under the EU Investment Gold Directive. Germany exempts capital gains on gold held for 12 months or more.
• Canada: GST/HST-exempt for gold bars at 99.5% purity or above.
• Australia: GST-free for investment-grade gold from recognised mints.
• Singapore: GST-exempt for gold bars at 99.5% purity. No capital gains tax.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax, no import duty, no capital gains tax.

100g Britannia Bar vs Swiss Refiners and Britannia Coins

The most important comparison for UK buyers is between the 100g Britannia bar and Britannia coins. A 1 oz Gold Britannia coin is CGT-exempt as UK legal tender. Three 1 oz Britannia coins contain roughly the same gold as one 100g bar (3 troy ounces vs 3.22 troy ounces), but the coins carry higher purchase premiums (3-5% each vs 2-4% for the bar). For UK investors selling at a gain above the 3,000 GBP annual allowance, the coins' CGT exemption typically makes them the more tax-efficient choice despite the higher upfront cost. For investors selling within the allowance or holding in jurisdictions without a coin-versus-bar CGT distinction, the bar saves on premiums.

Against Swiss competitors at 100g, the Britannia bar trades on the Royal Mint's sovereign-mint status. The PAMP Suisse 100g Fortuna offers VeriScan digital authentication and the most recognised bar design globally, at a slightly higher premium. The Argor-Heraeus 100g features kinebar holographic security. Valcambi 100g bars are typically the lowest-premium option from a major LBMA refiner.

The Royal Mint bar's advantage is the combination of sovereign-mint backing (carrying an implicit government quality guarantee) and the Britannia brand, which is particularly strong in the UK market. Swiss refiners dominate the continental European 100g market, and their bars have broader international recognition at this specific weight. In UK and Commonwealth markets, the Royal Mint name carries more weight. For buyers in Singapore, Hong Kong, or jurisdictions with no tax distinction between bars, the decision comes down to premium and brand preference, with the Swiss refiners typically offering slightly better pricing.