Way back in 1717, the legendary scientist Sir Isaac Newton was the master of The Royal Mint. He recommended the U.K.’s gold guinea coin be assigned a fixed value backed by its weight of gold. This was the beginning of Britain’s gold standard, where all coinage had fixed and standard values backed by their precious metals contents. Ah, the good old days… Well, they may be gone forever, but we still have a legacy of craftsmanship, beauty and sound coinage that’s persisted in this age of debased paper money. 

To honor the 1816 adoption of the gold standard, The Royal Mint created this series of gold bullion coins in two weights (1 oz and 1/4 oz) in 2016 with plans for annual releases of both weights. 

This is the larger of “The Gold Standard” series, 1 full oz of 0.9999 pure gold, minted during a random year from 2016 to the current year.

A closer look at The Royal Mint’s 1 oz Gold Standard bullion coin

The reverse design showcases a balance scale superimposed over an old-fashioned compass face. Royal Mint senior designer Dominique Evans says the design was Inspired by the quest to maintain economic equilibrium, the scales and compass points convey a sense of balance and connectivity. In an interview, she described her inspiration for the design:

“My grandfather was a bank manager who had a large set of scales from the bank, which I have inherited. They very much naturally became the integral part of the design and  I  am delighted  that  they have become part of a coin design of which my grandad would have been so very proud. Every time I get some good luck or have made a step towards achieving something, I say  ‘cheers’ to him. He was one of the people who allowed me to believe I could pursue my dreams and, because of that, I am doing what I  love, which is such a precious thing.”

At the top of the coin, “The Gold Standard” and year of issue are engraved. At the bottom edge, the coin’s weight and purity appear. 

The obverse features Jody Clark’s immediately-recognizable “fifth portrait” of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Around the edge, the coin’s face value of £100, “Elizabeth II” and the Latin abbreviation D.G. Reg. F.D. (translation: by the grace of God, Queen and defender of the faith). The Queen’s portrait is surrounded by a highly-detailed guilloche pattern, designed to dissuade any attempts to counterfeit the coin.

What a lovely modern representation of the critical importance of gold coinage in daily commerce! The Royal Mint’s Gold Standard bullion coins belong in the collection of everyone who secretly longs for a return to the days of “hard currency,” of “cold hard cash” and of honest money.

Highlights of the 1 oz “The Gold Standard” gold bullion coin from The Royal Mint

• Commemorating the introduction of the world’s first formal gold standard in 1 full troy oz of 0.9999 fine gold
• Innovative design and anti-counterfeiting details
• An homage to the days of real, honest money!
• Random mintage year (2016-2022)
• Individual coins shipped in protective flip cases; larger orders shipped in protective plastic rolls

About The Royal Mint’s Gold Standard coin series

Collect the history of gold! The journey to Britain’s adoption of a gold standard can be traced through the history of The Royal Mint. As Master of the Mint, Sir Isaac Newton issued a report in 1717 that led to the gold guinea being assigned a fixed value. Following the Coinage Act of 1816, Britain’s gold standard was adopted and it was the first system of its type in the world. Several countries with large economies followed the British lead, including Canada, the United States and Germany. 

Backed by the newly revived Sovereign, the gold standard system persisted until the outbreak of the First World War when financial pressures drove gold out of circulation. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Winston Churchill, returned Britain to a gold standard in 1925 but its restoration was short-lived. Gripped by an economic crisis, Britain abandoned it altogether in 1931. 

Designed in 2016 to mark 200 years since the introduction of the gold standard – tying the value of the British pound (or pound sterling, or £) to that of gold – Gold Standard bullions are a unique, annual offering from The Royal Mint.

Featuring the work of Royal Mint graphic designer Dominique Evans on its reverse, and Jody Clark's official “fifth portrait” portrait of Her Majesty The Queen on the obverse, The Gold Standard series now includes both a one ounce and quarter-ounce bullion coin struck in 999.9 fine gold.