Britannia one ounce gold coin 1987. This was the first year the gold Britannia was minted, making it a favourite among collectors. As was traditional with the earlier releases, the 1987 1oz gold Britannia is a 22 carat coin, but still contains one troy ounce of pure gold. The legendary figure of Britannia has symbolised Britain’s strength and integrity on coinage since Roman times. Little wonder then that the Britannia with such a depth of history behind it, has been a popular choice with bullion investors ever since its introduction in 1987.