The 2015 Britannia 1 oz Silver Bullion Coin contains one troy ounce of .999 fine silver - the purest of silver released by The Royal Mint. Britannia coins are renowned for their beauty and reliability, with their weight and quality verified at the centuries-old annual Trial of the Pyx.
The obverse displays Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the 2 pounds face value. The reverse features the helmeted Lady Britannia. She stands to defend the homeland, with a trident grasped in one hand and shield, graced with the image of Great Britain’s flag, in the other. As a symbol of strength and integrity, Britannia has for centuries been featured on British coinage. She is encircled with the inscriptions, “Britannia - 2015- 1 oz - 999 Fine Silver.”
Highlights
- Contains 1 troy oz of .999 fine silver.
- Obverse: Displays Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the 2 pounds face value.
- Reverse: Features the helmeted Lady Britannia, standing with a trident grasped in one hand and shield in the other.
- 2 pound face value
- Individual coins come in protective plastic flips.
- Sovereign coin backed by the British government.
History
The Trial of the Pyx is the procedure in the United Kingdom for ensuring that newly minted coins conform to the required standards. These trials have been held from the twelfth century to the present day, normally once per calendar year.
The form of the ceremony has been essentially the same since 1282 AD. These events are trials in the full judicial sense, presided over by a judge with an expert jury of metallurgical assayers. Given modern production methods, it is unlikely that coins would not conform.
Trials are now held at the Hall of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths; formerly, they took place at the Palace of Westminster. There is also a Pyx Chapel (or Pyx Chamber) in Westminster Abbey, which was once used as secure storage for the Pyx and related articles.
The term 'pyx' refers to the boxwood chest in which coins were placed for presentation to the jury.
