Royal Mint vs Chards: which is better?
Both sell the same Royal Mint coins, but Chards charged less in every check: a 2027 Sovereign was 4.14% over spot at Chards against 8.14% direct on 10 October 2026. Choose Chards if price matters most. Choose The Royal Mint if you want free delivery, card payment or to store just one or two coins.
This is an unusual comparison, because the product is identical. Every Britannia and Sovereign that Chards sells was struck by The Royal Mint in Llantrisant. So the question is not which coin is better. It is whether buying from the maker is worth paying more than buying from a long-established dealer in Blackpool, and what you get for the difference.
Royal Mint or Chards: which should you choose?
Choose Chards if
- You want the lowest premium on Britannias and Sovereigns
- You are happy to pay by debit card or bank transfer
- You are buying several coins, where tiered prices fall further
- You want allocated storage for a larger holding (roughly £6,000 or more)
Choose The Royal Mint if
- You want to pay by credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay
- You are making a small order and want free delivery
- You want to store one or two coins with no minimum fee
- You want buying, storage and DigiGold in one account
How do Royal Mint and Chards compare side by side?
| Feature | The Royal Mint | Chards |
|---|---|---|
| Who they are | The UK's official mint, owned by HM Treasury | Family-owned dealer, Blackpool, trading since 1964; LBMA full member since 2024 |
| 1oz Britannia premium | 7.13% (2027, 10 Oct); 4.87% (2027, 12 Oct, 07:00 UTC) | 2.80% (best value, 10 Oct); 2.77% (12 Oct) |
| 2027 Sovereign premium | 8.14% (10 Oct) | 4.14% (10 Oct) |
| 2027 Half Sovereign premium | 9.20% (12 Oct) | 7.53% (12 Oct) |
| Payment | Debit and selected credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, account wallet; up to £50,000 per card payment | UK debit card to £10,000, bank transfer, cheque to £5,000, cash to £7,500 in Blackpool; no credit cards |
| UK delivery | Free, Royal Mail Tracked 48 | From £3.50; tracked and insured over £60 |
| Outside the UK | DHL Express from £14 | UK and BFPO only |
| Storage | 1% + VAT (tubes, larger bars) or 2% + VAT (single coins, bars to 1oz); no minimum | 0.5% + VAT a year under £500,000; minimum £10 a month + VAT |
| Selling back | 2% fee from its vault; online quote for coins held at home | Published "up to" buy prices; in person, post or courier |
| Trustpilot | 3.7 from 3,315 reviews (11 Oct 2026) | 4.8 from 11,114 reviews (12 Oct 2026) |
| FCA regulated? | No: physical bullion is unregulated, so no FSCS or Financial Ombudsman cover | |
How much more does The Royal Mint charge for the same coins?
Every coin sells at the spot price (the market value of the gold inside) plus a premium (the seller's mark-up). We read both sellers' single-coin prices with our automated price check on 10 and 12 October 2026.
| Coin (date) | The Royal Mint | Premium | Chards | Premium | Extra paid direct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1oz Britannia (10 Oct) | £3,397.16 | 7.13% | £3,259.95 | 2.80% | £137.21 |
| 1oz Britannia (12 Oct) | £3,317.15 | 4.87% | £3,247.09 | 2.77% | £70.06 |
| 2027 Sovereign (10 Oct) | £807.30 | 8.14% | £777.47 | 4.14% | £29.83 |
| 2027 Sovereign (12 Oct) | £802.43 | 7.87% | £774.39 | 4.10% | £28.04 |
| 2027 Half Sovereign (12 Oct) | £406.67 | 9.20% | £400.44 | 7.53% | £6.23 |
GoldVetted price check, 10 October 2026, 21:13 to 21:15 BST (spot £3,171.03, market closed), and 12 October 2026: Half Sovereigns 06:31 UTC (spot £3,163.74); Royal Mint Britannia about 07:00 UTC (spot £3,163.24); Sovereigns and Chards Britannia 07:51 UTC (spot £3,159.69). A second Royal Mint Britannia read at 07:51 UTC showed £3,375.41 (6.83%), so its price moved between reads. The Royal Mint Britannia is the 2027 coin; Chards' is a mixed-year "Minty" coin. Premium = price ÷ value of fine gold at spot − 1. Later readings: premium tracker.
What this means for you. The Sovereign rows are the fairest test, because both sellers listed the same 2027 coin: buying from the maker cost about £28 to £30 more per coin. On ten Sovereigns that is close to £300 before Chards' quantity discounts. The Britannia gap was wider on 10 October but partly reflects the year: Chards' cheapest coin is an older-year Britannia in mint condition, and current-year coins carry a small extra premium everywhere. The Half Sovereign gap is smallest in pounds because small coins are expensive to make for every seller. Coin specs are in our Britannia, Sovereign and Half Sovereign guides.
The Royal Mint's 4.87% reading on 12 October shows its prices are not fixed: it was the lowest we have recorded for its Britannia, yet still above Chards. Check both on the day you buy, and use our premium calculator to turn any quote into a percentage.
Does delivery or payment change the picture?
A little, on small orders. The Royal Mint delivers free across the UK by Royal Mail Tracked 48, including Northern Ireland and the Highlands and Islands. Chards charges from £3.50 an order; orders under £60 go 2nd Class, and anything over £60 goes by a tracked, insured service such as Special Delivery. On a single Sovereign, even a Special Delivery charge would not close a £28 to £30 gap, but check the delivery line at checkout.
Payment is the bigger practical difference. Chards decided against taking credit cards, and its debit card limit is £10,000 per order, so larger purchases mean a bank transfer, which must be sent within 24 hours. The Royal Mint accepts debit and selected credit cards plus Apple Pay and Google Pay up to £50,000 per payment, and does not state a card surcharge. If you want to spread the cost on a credit card, that is only possible at The Royal Mint. Investment gold is free of VAT at both under HMRC Notice 701/21A.
Which is cheaper for storing gold?
Both run their own storage, but the fee structures pull in opposite directions. The Royal Mint's Vault charges a percentage with no minimum. Chards charges a lower percentage with a monthly minimum.
| Value held | Royal Mint, single coins (2% + VAT) | Royal Mint, tubes (1% + VAT) | Chards (0.5% + VAT, £10 a month min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £3,300 (one 1oz Britannia) | £79 | £40 | £144 |
| £10,000 | £240 | £120 | £144 |
| £30,000 | £720 | £360 | £180 |
| £100,000 | £2,400 | £1,200 | £600 |
Assumes a constant value for a year. Royal Mint fees are charged quarterly on the average daily value; Chards bases fees on the average price over the previous 30 days. Chards charges £60 + VAT to store items bought elsewhere. Tube rate applies to coins stored in full tubes.
For a single coin, The Royal Mint is cheaper, because Chards' £10 minimum works out at £144 a year with VAT. The lines cross at about £6,000 for single coins and about £12,000 for tubes. Above that, Chards' 0.5% rate wins, and the gap grows with every pound. Over ten years, 2% plus VAT adds up to about 24% of the value, far more than any saving on the premium. Specialist vault services can be cheaper still: compare them in our UK gold storage guide or read BullionVault vs Royal Mint.
Who pays more when you sell?
Chards publishes its buying prices. When we read its selling page at 08:32 UTC on 12 October 2026 (spot £3,156.59), it offered up to £3,144.36 for a 1oz Britannia (0.4% under spot) and £743.90 for a Sovereign, roughly the value of its gold. "Up to" matters: Chards pays less for damaged coins and may not fix an offer in volatile markets. You can sell by appointment in Blackpool or London, by post, or by courier collection (£60 plus insurance).
The Royal Mint has two routes. Gold in its vault can be sold from your account for a 2% fee on coins and bars. Coins and bars held at home, including ones bought elsewhere, go through an online quote; it aims to reply within 24 hours, checks purity on arrival and pays within two working days of approval. It does not publish a buy price list, so you cannot compare in advance. Either way, get a second quote; our guide to selling gold in the UK lists other buyers.
On tax, it makes no difference who you buy from: Britannias and Sovereigns are UK legal tender and free of Capital Gains Tax for UK residents under HMRC CG78305. Bars are not. See our UK gold tax guide.
Which is more trustworthy?
Both are well established, in different ways. The Royal Mint Limited is owned by HM Treasury, according to Companies House, so there is no question over authenticity. Chards is the trading name of Chard (1964) Limited, an active company at Companies House, trading since 1964 and a full member of the London Bullion Market Association since January 2024.
Customer scores differ more. Trustpilot showed 3.7 out of 5 from 3,315 reviews for The Royal Mint on 11 October 2026, and 4.8 from 11,114 reviews for Chards on 12 October. The Royal Mint's reviews cover collector coins and gifts as well as bullion, and Trustpilot's summary points to customer service delays. Neither seller's bullion is regulated by the FCA: the Financial Ombudsman Service and FSCS do not cover it, as the FCA explains.
Verdict: which suits which buyer?
| If you are... | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buying at the lowest price | Chards | Lower premium on every coin we checked, by two to four percentage points |
| Buying several Sovereigns or Britannias | Chards | About £28 to £30 saved per 2027 Sovereign, before quantity tiers |
| Paying by credit card | The Royal Mint | Chards does not accept credit cards |
| Buying a single gift coin | Either | Free delivery at The Royal Mint narrows a small gap on a Half Sovereign |
| Storing one or two coins | The Royal Mint | No minimum fee; Chards' £10 a month minimum costs more below about £6,000 |
| Storing £10,000 or more long term | Chards | 0.5% + VAT against 1% or 2% + VAT |
| Living outside the UK | The Royal Mint | Chards ships to UK and BFPO addresses only |
For most people buying bullion to own, Chards gives more gold for the money. The Royal Mint's case rests on convenience: card payments, free delivery and cheap storage for very small holdings. Read the full Chards review and Royal Mint review, our guide to buying Royal Mint gold, or see other dealers in Royal Mint vs Atkinsons and Atkinsons vs Chards. Our list of the best places to buy gold in the UK covers every dealer we check.
Gold prices can fall as well as rise. This comparison is general information, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chards cheaper than The Royal Mint?
In every coin we checked, yes. On 10 October 2026 a 2027 Sovereign cost £777.47 at Chards (4.14% over spot) and £807.30 at The Royal Mint (8.14%). On 12 October a 2027 Half Sovereign was £400.44 at Chards (7.53%) and £406.67 direct (9.20%). Live prices change, so compare on the day using our premium tracker.
Are coins from Chards the same as coins from The Royal Mint?
Yes. Britannias and Sovereigns are only struck by The Royal Mint, and Chards resells them. A 2027 Sovereign from Chards is the identical coin, with the same weight, purity and tax treatment. Chards' cheapest 1oz option is a mixed-year Britannia in mint condition rather than the newest year, which is part of why it costs less.
Why does The Royal Mint charge more for its own coins?
Neither seller explains its margins. What we can see is that The Royal Mint bundles free UK delivery, card payments up to £50,000 and an in-house vault, and sells mostly current-year coins. Chards sells in volume, offers older-year coins and charges separately for delivery. The result in our checks was a premium two to four percentage points lower at Chards.
Which is better for storing gold, The Royal Mint or Chards?
It depends on how much you hold. The Royal Mint charges 1% or 2% plus VAT a year with no minimum, so it is cheaper for one or two coins. Chards charges 0.5% plus VAT but at least £10 a month plus VAT, so it becomes cheaper from roughly £6,000 of single coins. See our UK gold storage guide.
Which pays more when I sell gold back?
Chards publishes "we pay up to" prices: on 12 October 2026 that was £3,144.36 for a 1oz Britannia and £743.90 for a Sovereign, close to gold value, for coins in good condition. The Royal Mint quotes individually for coins held at home and charges a 2% fee to sell gold from its vault. Get a firm quote from both.
Are Royal Mint and Chards regulated by the FCA?
No. Physical gold bullion is not a regulated investment in the UK, so neither seller's bullion sales are covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or the FSCS. The Royal Mint states this on its site. The FCA explains what unregulated means on its consumer pages.
Do I pay Capital Gains Tax on coins from either seller?
Not on Britannias or Sovereigns. They are UK legal tender, which HMRC treats as currency, so UK residents pay no Capital Gains Tax on gains, wherever the coin was bought (HMRC manual CG78305). Gold bars from either seller do not get this exemption. Our UK gold tax guide has the detail.
Sources
We checked these primary and official sources when writing and fact-checking this page.
- The Royal Mint: Storage, delivery and buy-back fees
- The Royal Mint: Payment methods (cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, £50,000 limit)
- The Royal Mint: Sell your gold, silver and platinum
- Chards: Payment information (no credit cards, debit to £10,000)
- Chards: Delivery and collections (from £3.50, insured over £60)
- Chards: Vaulted storage fees (0.5% + VAT, £10 a month minimum)
- Chards: Sell gold and silver (published buy prices, read 12 Oct 2026)
- Companies House: The Royal Mint Limited, persons with significant control
- HMRC Capital Gains Manual CG78305: Sovereigns and Britannias are currency
- FCA: Unregulated products and activities
Not financial advice. GoldVetted provides general information to help you compare options. It is not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Gold prices go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you pay. Check tax rules with the official source or a qualified adviser before you act.