Frequently asked questions
The Royal Mint
- Why order directly from The Royal Mint?
- How do I contact the Royal Mint?
- What is The Royal Mint?
- Are circulating coins bearing the portrait of Her Late Majesty still legal tender?
- Have you stopped producing coins bearing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait?
- Will The Royal Mint Experience open as normal?
- Why are delivery time-frames extended currently?
Collectors
- Where are Royal Mint products stocked?
- I have a coin that I think may be valuable. Can the Royal Mint confirm if this is the case?
- I have a £2 coin with a portrait of the Queen wearing a necklace. Is this rare or valuable?
- I have a 2p piece with the inscription 'NEW PENCE' on it. Does this make the coin rare or valuable?
- What alloy are the new 5p and 10p coins made from?
- Where did the edge inscription 'standing on the shoulders of giants' come from?
- Why does the edge inscription on the £2 and £1 coins sometimes appear "upside down"?
- What are 'bronze' coins made from? Why are some magnetic and some not?
- Do commemorative coins tarnish over time?
- Does the Royal Mint supply coin products from previous years (e.g. 2001 Baby Gift Set)?
UK Currency
- Can I use coinage from United Kingdom Overseas Territories?
- Can I use coinage from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man?
- What is the life expectancy of a coin?
- How much does it cost to make coins?
- How do new coins get to the banks?
- Does the Royal Mint produce bank notes?
- What are the legal tender amounts acceptable for the United Kingdom coins?
- What are the rules for destroying coinage?
- How can I dispose of coins no longer in circulation?
- How can I dispose of commemorative crowns? And why do some have a higher face value than others?
- How can I dispose of commemorative £2 coins?
- Does the Royal Mint buy circulating coins?
- Do you have any information about the undated 20p coin?
- Can I buy circulating coins from the Royal Mint?
- Can I use Commemorative Crowns as ordinary coins? Why are some of them worth more than others?
Bullion
- What is a bullion coin?
- Why should I buy bullion from The Royal Mint?
- What Bullion products does The Royal Mint sell?
- How can I be sure of the purity of the products I purchase?
- How are bullion prices set?
- Are bullion coins from The Royal Mint recognised internationally?
- Can I store my bullion in The Royal Mint vault?
- Is there any time when I wouldn’t be able to purchase from The Royal Mint?
- Do you sell bars and ingots?
- What is the LBMA?
- What is a troy ounce?
- Are coins Capital Gains Tax exempt
- Are bars and digital products Capital Gains Tax exempt?
- Can I take the bar out of its sealed package?
- Will I need to pay VAT on bullion products?
- Do I pay VAT on silver bullion coins or bars?
- Does The Royal Mint sell silver investment products?
- Is it possible to store my gold bullion coins and bars in The Royal Mint Vault® and have them delivered later?
- Does The Royal Mint sell gold investment products?
- Do I pay VAT on gold bullion coins or bars?
- Do I pay VAT on platinum bullion?
- Does The Royal Mint sell platinum investment products?
- How much is a gold bar worth?
- How much is a gold Sovereign worth?
Digital Investments
- What is DigiGold from The Royal Mint?
- How does DigiGold work?
- Who owns the DigiGold that I purchase?
- How is buying DigiGold different to buying coins or bars?
- How do I open a DigiGold account?
- Is there a minimum or maximum amount of DigiGold I can purchase?
- What are the management fees for DigiGold?
- Can I take delivery of the gold, silver and platinum I purchase through DigiGold?
- Can I sell back my DigiGold?
- How is my DigiGold stored?
Storage
- What is The Vault®?
- Storage Fees
- Where is The Royal Mint Vault located?
- Are the contents of The Vault® secure and insured?
- Can I visit to see my vaulted precious metals product?
- What are the storage fees for coins and bars?
- How do I know that my precious metal is in The Vault®?
- When are storage and account management fees paid?
- What is the allocated storage for coins and bars?
- How do I arrange delivery of my coins or bars that are stored in The Vault®?
- Can I store my bullion in The Royal Mint vault?
- How much is a gold bullion Sovereign worth?