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About the 1 oz Britannia and Liberty Gold Coin
A First-Ever Collaboration Between Two of the World's Oldest Mints
The 1 oz Britannia and Liberty gold coin is the product of an unprecedented partnership between The Royal Mint (established c. 886 AD) and the United States Mint (founded 1792). Launched in 2024, it is the first joint coin ever produced by these two institutions. The Royal Mint version is struck in .9999 fine gold, carries a £100 face value as UK legal tender, and features the shared Britannia-and-Liberty reverse design alongside Martin Jennings' portrait of King Charles III.
The reverse brings together two national allegorical figures for the first time on a single coin. Britannia, designed by Royal Mint Chief Engraver Gordon Summers, faces Liberty, designed by US Mint Chief Engraver Joseph Menna. The two figures appear in opposing profile portraits, described as resembling the faces on a playing card, giving each equal prominence. Liberty holds a torch and wears stars; Britannia wields a trident and wears a Corinthian helmet.
The 2024 Royal Mint gold version had a mintage of 11,000, substantially lower than the standard 1 oz Britannia which is produced in effectively unlimited quantities. This scarcity means the Britannia and Liberty commands a higher premium, positioning it between pure bullion and collector territory. For buyers interested primarily in metal value at the lowest premium, the standard Britannia remains the more cost-effective choice. The Britannia and Liberty appeals to those who value the historical significance of the cross-mint collaboration and are willing to pay for lower mintage.
The programme continued into 2025 with additional denominations including a 1/4 oz gold and 1 oz silver version, as well as a four-coin fractional gold proof set. The US Mint issued its own counterparts: a $100 gold coin and a silver proof medal (the latter without legal tender status). The two mints' versions share the collaborative reverse design but differ in obverse and legal status.
Britannia and Liberty Technical Specifications
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1 troy oz (31.1035 g) |
| Purity | .9999 fine gold (24 karat) |
| Diameter | 32.7 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Face value | £100 (Royal Mint version) |
| Mintage (2024) | 11,000 |
| Legal tender | United Kingdom |
| Obverse designer | Martin Jennings (King Charles III portrait) |
| Reverse designers | Gordon Summers (Britannia) and Joseph Menna (Liberty) |
The Royal Mint bullion version carries the standard Britannia security suite: latent image, micro-text, tincture lines, and surface animation. These are the same features found on the annual Britannia bullion coins, providing a familiar authentication framework for dealers and buyers already in the Royal Mint ecosystem.
The US Mint also produced a 1 oz gold coin ($100 face value, .9999 fine) with a separate reverse design depicting the sun rising over the Atlantic, framed by a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (representing the US) and an English Yew tree (representing Britain). The US Mint version had a mintage of 10,000. A US silver proof medal (75,000 mintage, .999 silver, no denomination) was also produced.
For 2025, the Royal Mint expanded the range with a 1/4 oz gold coin (£25 face value), a 1 oz silver bullion coin (£2 face value, .999 silver, 50,000 mintage), and a four-coin fractional gold proof set containing 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, and 1/10 oz pieces.
Tax Status of the Britannia and Liberty Gold Coin
The Royal Mint version of the Britannia and Liberty is UK legal tender at £100, which gives it the same tax advantages as the standard Britannia for UK residents:
- United Kingdom: VAT-exempt as investment gold. CGT-exempt as UK legal tender coinage. This double exemption (no tax on purchase, no tax on profit at disposal) makes it one of the most tax-efficient gold investments available to UK residents. The same CGT exemption applies to the 1 oz Britannia and Gold Sovereign.
- United States: The Royal Mint version is a foreign legal tender gold coin at .9999 purity, which may qualify for IRA inclusion, though this is a new product and custodian confirmation is recommended. The US Mint version ($100 gold coin) is classified as numismatic and is likely not IRA-eligible, following the same classification as the American Liberty series. No federal sales tax; state exemptions vary.
- Canada: GST/HST exempt as investment gold at .9999 purity. No specific RRSP eligibility confirmed.
- Australia: GST-free as investment gold meeting the .9950 purity threshold.
- EU: VAT-exempt as investment gold under Directive 98/80/EC.
- Singapore: GST-exempt as an Investment Precious Metal.
- Hong Kong: No sales tax, no import duty, no capital gains tax.
The CGT exemption makes the Royal Mint version particularly valuable for UK buyers compared to non-UK legal tender gold coins like the 1 oz Maple Leaf or 1 oz Krugerrand, where any capital gain above the annual allowance is taxable.
Britannia and Liberty vs Standard Britannia, Maple Leaf, and American Liberty
The critical comparison for most buyers is between the Britannia and Liberty and the standard 1 oz Britannia. Both are .9999 fine, both are UK legal tender with CGT exemption, and both carry £100 face values with Royal Mint security features. The difference is scarcity and premium. The standard Britannia has essentially unlimited annual mintage and trades at a modest premium over spot. The Britannia and Liberty's 11,000 mintage for 2024 commands a significantly higher premium. For pure weight accumulation, the standard Britannia is the rational choice. The Britannia and Liberty adds the historic collaboration element and collector dimension.
Against the 1 oz Canadian Maple Leaf, the Britannia and Liberty matches the .9999 purity but offers CGT exemption for UK buyers that the Maple Leaf does not. The Maple Leaf has far greater global liquidity and lower premiums, making it the better stacking coin for non-UK buyers or those indifferent to CGT planning.
The US Mint's American Liberty series occupies similar collector-oriented territory. Both feature national allegorical figures at .9999 purity and $100 face value. The Britannia and Liberty's distinguishing feature is the cross-mint collaboration, which is without historical precedent. NGC offered special designation labels for the 2024 issues, reflecting the collector significance of the joint programme.
The limited mintage (11,000 gold) means the 2024 Royal Mint version sold out relatively quickly at the Mint, suggesting strong initial collector demand. Whether this translates into sustained secondary market premiums above standard Britannia levels is a function of long-term collector interest in the series and whether the programme continues beyond 2025. Buyers should weigh the historical appeal of a first-ever Royal Mint/US Mint collaboration against the proven liquidity of established bullion coins.
1 oz Britannia and Liberty Gold Coin: frequently asked questions
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The cheapest 1oz Britannia and Liberty gold coin listed across dealers we track is £3,393.04, currently around 7.3% over gold spot. Gold Bank is offering the best price. As a low-mintage collaborative coin, premiums are higher than for standard Britannia bullion.
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The Royal Mint's 1oz Britannia and Liberty coin weighs 1 oz (31.1035g), is struck in 999.9 fine gold (24 carat), and carries a £100 face value. It has a reeded edge and a diameter of 32.7mm. The coin is issued by The Royal Mint as UK legal tender.
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The Royal Mint's Britannia and Liberty coin carries the standard Britannia security suite: a latent image that shifts under different angles, micro-text visible under magnification, tincture lines, and surface animation. Check the coin's weight (31.1035g) and diameter (32.7mm) against published specifications. A rare-earth magnet test and a ping test (listening for a sustained ring) are useful secondary checks. Buy from an authorised Royal Mint dealer to minimise risk.
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The Britannia and Liberty carries a higher premium than standard bullion coins for two main reasons. First, its mintage is strictly limited, increasing collector demand relative to mainstream Britannia bullion. Second, for UK residents, Royal Mint coins like this are UK legal-tender coins and are exempt from Capital Gains Tax on disposal, which adds value for UK buyers. Production costs for the security features built into the coin design also factor into the 7.3% over spot.