{"product_id":"1987-half-ounce-gold-proof-britannia-first-year-of-issue-ngc-pf70-ultra-cameo","title":"1987 Half-Ounce Gold Proof Britannia | First Year of Issue | NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"product-description\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e1987 Half-Ounce Gold Proof Britannia – First Year of Issue – NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis coin holds a genuinely important place in British numismatic history: it's from the very first year of The Royal Mint's Britannia series, introduced in July 1987 to give British investors a bullion coin to rival the South African Krugerrand and Canadian Maple Leaf. It was only the second time in history that Britannia had appeared as a standing figure on British coinage, following George William De Saulles' celebrated design used on the florin between 1902 and 1910.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhilip Nathan's original \"standing Britannia\" design — since regarded as one of the most celebrated modern British coin designs — shows Britannia poised confidently on a clifftop, trident in one hand, a shield bearing the Union Flag in the other, an olive branch symbolising peace, her robes and hair caught in the wind. This design would go on to define the series for the best part of a decade before Nathan and later artists began introducing occasional variations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe obverse carries Raphael Maklouf's third definitive portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, used on UK coinage between 1985 and 1997.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGraded \u003cstrong\u003eNGC PF70 Ultra Cameo\u003c\/strong\u003e — the maximum attainable grade, reflecting a flawless strike with no imperfections under magnification and strong cameo contrast between the frosted devices and mirrored fields, a genuinely notable achievement for a coin now approaching four decades old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCoin Highlights\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFrom 1987 — the first year of The Royal Mint's Britannia series\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePhilip Nathan's original \"standing Britannia\" design, only the second standing Britannia in British coinage history\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eObverse: Raphael Maklouf's third definitive portrait of Queen Elizabeth II\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStruck in 22 carat gold to proof finish by The Royal Mint\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCertified NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo — the highest possible grade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEncapsulated in a tamper-evident NGC holder for authenticity and protection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"spec-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYear\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1987\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMint\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eThe Royal Mint, Llantrisant\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eComposition\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e22 carat gold (91.67% fine)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e16.97 grams\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFine Gold Content\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e0.5 troy oz (15.55 grams)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDiameter\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e27.00 mm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEdge\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMilled\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFinish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProof\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eObverse Designer\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRaphael Maklouf (third portrait)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReverse Designer\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePhilip Nathan (original \"standing Britannia\" design)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGrading\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNGC PF70 Ultra Cameo\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy This Coin Stands Out\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a first-year-of-issue piece, this coin carries genuine historical weight beyond its gold content — it's the design that launched an entire series still running nearly forty years later. A PF70 Ultra Cameo certification on a coin of this age represents both the technical ceiling of the issue and a real rarity in its own right, since proof coins from the late 1980s rarely survive in perfect condition. A strong choice for Britannia collectors seeking a genuine cornerstone piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs UK legal tender gold, this coin is exempt from Capital Gains Tax for UK residents and free from VAT under current investment gold rules. Browse our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sovaracoins.com\/collections\/buy-graded-sovereigns\"\u003egraded gold Sovereigns\u003c\/a\u003e to explore more historic first-year and one-off Britannia designs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ngccoin.uk\/certlookup\/8463766-013\/70\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1987 G.BRITAIN BRITANNIA G50PND\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Royal Mint","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":60616431665486,"sku":"1987-half-ounce-gold-proof-britannia-first-year-ngc-pf70-ultra-cameo","price":1890.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0853\/9370\/3246\/files\/1987-half-ounce-gold-proof-britannia-first-year-ngc-pf70-ultra-cameo.webp?v=1788253114","url":"https:\/\/www.sovaracoins.com\/products\/1987-half-ounce-gold-proof-britannia-first-year-of-issue-ngc-pf70-ultra-cameo","provider":"Sovara Coins LTD","version":"1.0","type":"link"}