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Silver Brittania's Cost more in U.S. or U.K.?

PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:20 pm
by jerry278
Hey all,

How is everyone?

I got a quick question. I see that 1 oz. silver brittanias go for about $45 right now (with the premium). But I was wondering what they went for in the U.K. I know they have VAT tax but does that include exports? They reason I ask is because I have a family member in scotland right now and I asked them to pick up a silver brittania, however I dont know how much its going to cost. It would seem plausible that'd it be slightly less in the U.K. (despite the VAT tax) but then again Idk. Can any U.K. realcenters help me out/realcenters who've bought brittanias in the U.K.?

Thanks guys!

Re: Silver Brittania's Cost more in U.S. or U.K.?

PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:31 pm
by Somnophore
Prices on eBay for Britannias are 60-75 dollars cheapest I've seen at a bullion dealer works out at 50 dollars so cheaper in the USA by the look of it.

Re: Silver Brittania's Cost more in U.S. or U.K.?

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:37 pm
by jerry278
Thanks Somnophore, thats good info. To be honest, I just recently found out that they have an annual mintage limited to 100,000. I was shocked frankly, thats an extremely low annual mintage for a coin. Imagine if they only made 100,000 SAE's a year. The havoc that would ensue!

Re: Silver Brittania's Cost more in U.S. or U.K.?

PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:56 pm
by Pennysaved
Wonder why so few are minted?

Re: Silver Brittania's Cost more in U.S. or U.K.?

PostPosted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 3:15 am
by Somnophore
I'll take a stab at why, the UK mint like issuing limited runs of non circulating coins, it's tradition.

Also britannias aren't that well known outside of the UK so their demand is mainly based in the UK (some other countries don't like that it's only .958 fineness) and the UK has a small population few of which invest in silver, and those that do often buy ASE as they are known worldwide.

ASE are bought by people all over the world and you have a large domestic population so demand is higher.

I'd also say there's marginally a higher awareness of silver in the USA as you had .900 silver coins in circulation into the 60s and these still rarely crop up in circulation, whereas in the UK 1947
Was the last year of .500 silver coins, .925 coins had been phased out in 1920.