GoldPaidRead our reviews on Trustpilot07944 014111 Send a photo Free label
Silver

Silver Britannias: why the .958 and .999 issues hold the same silver

A pre-2013 silver Britannia is .958 fine and weighs 32.45 g; a modern one is .999 and weighs 31.21 g. Both contain the same troy ounce of fine silver. This explains why, and what that means when the coins are valued.

By Rocco Clayfield, trading as GoldPaid; the business incorporated as GOLDPAID LTD (company 17382540) on 5 August 2026 · Published · updated

Do .958 and .999 silver Britannias hold the same silver?Yes. Silver Britannias from 1997 to 2012 are .958 fine and weigh 32.45 g; since 2013 they are .999 fine and weigh 31.21 g. Both hold one troy ounce of fine silver, and both are UK legal tender, so a gain is outside Capital Gains Tax for UK individuals. What 958 means on silver explains the older standard, and selling silver coins covers the steps.
A 1oz silver Britannia coin dated 2023, standing on edge, showing the Britannia figure

The silver Britannia, 1997 to now

The Royal Mint silver Britannia is a 1oz coin first struck in 1997. From 1997 to 2012 the coin was struck at .958 fine, the Britannia silver standard, slightly higher than sterling. From 2013 onwards the coin has been struck at .999 fine silver. Each coin carries a £2 face value, making it UK legal tender. If you already know what you hold, the service page to sell silver coins covers the label, the cover level and the paperwork.

The reverse design is the standing Britannia figure with shield and trident, originally by Philip Nathan and refreshed several times since. The obverse carries the reigning monarch.

Not sure how any of this applies to your own items? Send a photo on WhatsApp and ask, call 07944 014111 (8am to 9pm, 7 days a week), or ask for a free prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label. Whichever you pick: nothing is posted until you decide, your parcel is tracked and signed for, the written offer follows the XRF assay, the return is free if you decline, and we aim to pay by Faster Payments within one working hour of your acceptance.

Why silver Britannias are CGT-exempt

Silver Britannias are UK legal tender, so for a UK individual they are sterling currency rather than a chargeable asset, and a gain on resale falls outside Capital Gains Tax however large it is. The authority is section 21(1)(b) of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, which makes currency an asset for Capital Gains Tax “with the exception… of sterling”: a UK legal tender coin is sterling currency, so disposing of one is not a disposal of a chargeable asset. American Silver Eagles, Canadian Silver Maple Leafs and other foreign silver coins are not sterling and do not share that treatment.

This section is the published HMRC rule, not personal tax advice. If your sale is large enough that CGT is relevant, talk to your accountant.

Pre-2013 versus post-2013

Pre-2013 Britannia silver coins (.958) and later coins (.999) both trade on the secondary market. Both contain the same one troy ounce of fine silver: the .958 coins were struck at 32.45 g precisely so that the lower fineness still yields a full ounce, against 31.21 g for the .999 issues. They sometimes carry a small numismatic premium with collectors who like the older alloy. Post-2013 coins trade closer to spot because they match the international .999 bullion standard.

Year matters. If you know the year, mention it on WhatsApp. We can give a closer indicative figure before the parcel moves.

What sets the price on a silver Britannia

Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market. For silver Britannias the inputs are weight, XRF reading, year of issue and condition. Proof Britannias in original Royal Mint cases with certificates carry a numismatic premium over bullion.

Posting silver Britannias

  1. WhatsApp photos of every coin and any presentation case to 07944 014111.
  2. Wait for our reply and the prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label.
  3. If tubed, leave the coins tubed. If loose, use individual flips.
  4. Pad inside a jiffy bag and use a rigid outer mailer.
  5. Drop off at a Post Office counter and keep the receipt.
  6. Send the tracking number on WhatsApp.

Cover, return and payment

Your parcel travels on Royal Mail Special Delivery, and Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. A tube of silver Britannias is heavy and bulky but typically sits inside that cap. Larger parcels are split across more than one label. Accept and we aim to pay by Faster Payments within one working hour. Decline and the coins are returned by tracked post at our cost.

Next step: find out whether it is a metal sale or a collector sale

Some coins are worth more to a collector than their metal content, and it is worth knowing which before anything is treated as bullion. Send photos of both faces on WhatsApp first and we will tell you how we would value your coins before you post anything. Offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, condition and the live precious-metal market.

Send a photo on WhatsApp

Common questions

Are silver Britannias CGT-exempt?

For UK individuals, yes. A UK legal tender coin is sterling currency, and section 21(1)(b) of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 excludes sterling from the definition of an asset, so there is no chargeable gain. Ask your accountant if it matters to your sale.

Do you buy pre-2013 Britannias?

Yes. They are slightly lower fineness but fully accepted.

Are proof Britannias worth more?

Usually yes, especially with the original Royal Mint case and certificate.

What cover applies to the parcel?

Your parcel travels on Royal Mail Special Delivery, and Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. Larger parcels travel under more than one label.

Do you buy tarnished Britannias?

Yes. Tarnish does not affect the silver content or the offer.

When am I paid?

By Faster Payments. We aim to pay within one working hour of your acceptance.

Do you take walk-ins?

No. The service is by post, UK-wide.

Do I need the original tube?

No, but please send it if you have it.

Not the question you had? The full GoldPaid FAQ covers the rest, from postal cover and ID checks to what happens if you decline the offer.

Related guides

British silver coins: the 1920 and 1947 date rules explainedTwo dates decide whether a British coin contains silver, and how much. This explains the pre-1920 sterling…

Reference pages

Here is the whole process in brief. Send us a photo on WhatsApp. We answer questions about the testing, the rates and the cover before anything moves. You only post when you say so, you only decide when the written offer is in front of you, and a decline costs nothing and triggers a free tracked return.

GoldPaid is a UK-wide postal gold and silver buying service with no shop: you request a free prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label, your items are XRF-assayed in house, and you are paid by bank transfer only if you accept the written offer.

Your prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label is addressed to GOLDPAID LTD, Unit 217, Bristol Business Centre, 179 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2AG. That is our Bristol office: your parcel is signed for on arrival and opened there, and each item is weighed and XRF-tested, so you know exactly where it is going before you post it.

Send a photo on WhatsAppRequest a prepaid Royal Mail label

Ask for the label in that chat and we usually send it within 30 minutes during working hours, 8am to 9pm, 7 days a week. No printer? We send a QR code you show at the Post Office counter instead.

Photo first, written offer after testing

Get a written offer, then decide

Send a photo on WhatsApp and ask anything you like. We reply with an idea of what it is worth, and the free Royal Mail Special Delivery label only goes out when you ask for it.

Send a photo on WhatsAppCall 07944 014111

Free prepaid label, usually sent within 30 minutes during working hours. Free tracked return if you decline. We aim to pay by Faster Payments within one working hour of acceptance.