1 oz Britannia Charles III Silver Coin | Proof | 2023
Only 3450 of the 1 oz silver Britannia coin 2023 are available in this Limited Edition presentation so do not wait to purchase yours on StoneX Bullion!
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, we are now entering a new era: King Charles III’s reign. To mark the change, the Britannia coin has had a makeover with of course the new portrait of Charles and also a new design on the reverse.
The new Britannia on the reverse:
This year’s Britannia coin design has been created by Jonathan Olliffe, who previously designed the Gymnastics 50p coin for the 2012 London Olympics. Olliffe’s depiction of Britannia is inspired by her maritime origins.
The design features Britannia riding a chariot through the waves, drawn by mighty sea creatures, to symbolise her protecting the nation and its shores. This year’s design is more reminiscent of historic seals and medals, particularly those from 18th-century iconic designs. This stunning design pays homage to Philip Nathan's iconic 1997 design for the Britannia coin, while also incorporating elements of Olliffe's own artistic style;
Britannia can be seen wearing a Corinthian helmet as well as carrying a trident and a shield decorated with the Union Flag. On closer inspection, a face of a lion can also be seen at the front of the chariot, with the chariot being pulled through the waves by horses that bear the characteristics of aquatic creatures like seahorses, with scales on their bodies and fins in place of manes and hooves.
This is a truly magnificent and impressive design combining history and modernity.
The inscriptions around the design include Britannia, 1 oz, 999 and Fine silver.
The new Portrait of King Charles III on the obverse:
This coin is the first commemorative Proof Britannia coin to feature the portrait of His Majesty King Charles III by Martin Jennings.
Martin Jennings is best known for his public sculptures which include the poet John Betjeman, in St Pancras Station in London, and Philip Larkin in Hull. He used photographs to come up with the design, rather than the King sitting for a specific portrait. King Charles is said to be very pleased with the end result.
After working from the photographs, Martin Jennings then modelled his design in plaster which was digitally reduce to the correct size for a coin
His Majesty had his left-profile bust elegantly designed, unlike the Queen’s effigy, which used to be of her right-profile. The tradition for British monarchs to face a different direction to their predecessor dates back to the seventeenth century. While Queen Elizabeth II was shown wearing a crown in four of her five definitive coinage portraits, Jennings' portrait of Charles sports no glittering headgear or other symbols of his royal status.
Everything has been done here to give Charles a more accessible look.
The legend reads “Charles” and 'D G REX FD' ('Dei Gratia Rex Fidei Defensor' -(Charles III by Grace of God King, Defender of the Faith”), the face value 2 pounds and the year of mintage 2023.
This 1 oz silver Britannia 2023 coin is truly a must-have in your collection with its new portrait of King Charles III and the new representation of Britannia by Jonathan Olliffe. It comes with a booklet on the historic coins and medals that inspired this year’s bold design and will be a truly amazing gift for history lovers.