Please note that these coins may have spotting present on the silver as a result of the age of these specimens.
As the first 1/4 oz Britannia Coins to be minted from real silver recovered from the S.S. Gairsoppa Shipwreck, these coins have become extremely popular with collectors. Each coin is minted from .999 pure silver and weighs 1/4 troy ounce with a face value of 50 Pence. Each SS Gairsoppa British Britannia Coin ship in plastic flips, multiples of 10 – 20 ship in tubes.
The United Kingdom has one of the richest histories of any country in the world. The Roman Empire was the first outside force to exert control over the island’s inhabitants, giving it one of the world’s first (and most recognizable) coins in the process. The image of Britannia has been used on the official coins of the monarch since 1672, but its history dates back to the first century A.D. when the Romans first produced coin’s with Britannia’s image. The Britannia coin was recreated and used on Britain’s official silver bullion coin in 1997.
The name “Britannia” was given to the isles by Roman overlords almost 2,000 years ago. It was customary in the Roman Empire to issue names to personify countries. As such, Britannia was given as the personification of Britain following Roman conquest. However, beginning in the second century A.D., Britannia came to associate with a goddess of the sea. Britannia has since been depicted as a protector of the British Isles, standing guard in the English Channel to ward off all who would seek to conquer the island.
The 2013 1/4 oz SS Gairsoppa Britannia Silver Coin bears that same image today, along with the image of Queen Elizabeth II which has been featured on British coins throughout her reign. What makes the SS Gairsoppa Britannia unique is the engraving on the outer edge of the coin. The SS Gairsoppa was a supply ship bringing silver to the Royal Mint during World War II. It was torpedoed in 1941, taking its precious cargo to the depths of the sea. In 2011, the ship was discovered and its cargo recovered. The SS Gairsoppa Britannia coins are minted using silver recovered from the shipwreck, and the name of the ship is engraved around the outer edge of the coin.
On the obverse side of the 2013 1/4 oz SS Gairsoppa Britannia coin is Ian Rank-Broadley’s right-profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Along with her image are engravings of her name and the phrase “Reg’Fid’Def’,” as well as the face value of the coin (50 pence). The reverse side of the coin features the image of Britannia standing guard in the English Channel. In her left hand is a shield bearing the Union Jack of Britain, while her right hand wields a trident.
If you have any questions about the 2013 1/4 oz Silver SS Gairsoppa British Britannia Coins before placing your order, please call Silver.com at 1-888-989-7223. We also offer support through our website’s live chat feature and email as well. Make sure you look over our entire offering of Royal Mint Silver Coins for more Britannia sizes and designs.