The image of Britannia has a long and storied numismatic history that dates all the way back to c. AD 119. While she disappeared from coinage for more than a thousand years following the fall of the Roman Empire, Britannia has featured on the coins of every British monarch since returning to coinage in 1672. Her strong and noble image has come to personify the spirit of a nation and remains a patriotic symbol to this very day.

Naturally, with such tenure, the image of Britannia has evolved along the way, with new interpretations of this legendary character becoming a fixture of each generation. Whilst her overall aesthetic has remained relatively constant, minor tweaks have been made over time: her spear became a trident, her backdrop has varied, and she has frequently been accompanied by another UK icon, the British lion.

This year sees another evolution of Britannia with our Premium Exclusive range. Embracing the changing face of modern Britain, this contemporary interpretation marks the first time a standalone design has been created for this range and wonderfully reflects the diversity of the people of Britain in the twenty-first century.