A Miniature Masterpiece: The Uk's Smallest Coin

The Royal Mint - At first glance this may appear to be an artist putting the finishing touches to a painting - but these tiny figures stand at little over 20mm! Created by Roy's People, they depict in miniature Antony Dufort creating his 2015 Britannia design - which features on the United Kingdom's smallest coin.



Weighing one fortieth-ounce and measuring just 8mm in diameter, the Britannia fortieth ounce coin is the smallest UK coin ever produced by The Royal Mint. 8mm. that's smaller than a drawing pin!

To put this minting triumph into context, many of us would consider the five pence coin to be 'small' coin - right? But with a diameter of 18.00mm it's more than double the width of the Britannia fortieth-ounce, as we demonstrated with this photo we took when the 2014 version was launched.



First launched last year, the popular coin returns in the Britannia 2015 range in both gold and silver. The nautical-themed design by Antony Dufort is intended to have a simple and elegant feel. Britannia is wearing her familiar Corinthian helmet and holding the trident, with a masted ship with billowing sails in the background. The obverse of the coins bears the new, fifth definitive portrait of The Queen, designed by Royal Mint engraver Jody Clark - who also designed the 2014 Britannia.

Each fine detail of the design has been reduced perfectly by state-of-the-art technology and even on the fortieth ounce coin, the design is crisp and finished to Proof standard - complete with frosting!



Both the 2014 and 2015 Britannia Fortieth Ounce Gold Proof Coins are available to buy individually on www.royalmint.com, while the silver coin is available as part of a set.