By Kane White, CEO & Founder, Britannia Bullion
Let’s not sugar-coat it.
Gold demand is at record levels, and supply just isn’t keeping up.
Everywhere you look, the same pattern is emerging: longer delivery times, lower stock, and growing signs that the world’s gold supply is being stretched thin.
The question we should all be asking is simple: what happens when there isn’t enough to go around?
Even the Royal Mint Is Feeling It...
The Royal Mint, one of the oldest and most trusted names in bullion, has recently confirmed that delivery times are stretching out.
Their own website states that “in-stock items are usually despatched within 21 working days.”
That’s for gold they already have.
Customers have reported extended waiting times, sometimes several weeks beyond that.
There are even online discussions about coins like Gold Britannia's being unavailable or facing delivery delays.
Now, that doesn’t mean the Mint has “run out” of gold, but it does mean demand is testing supply.
And when a major sovereign mint is feeling the strain, it tells you everything you need to know about what’s happening globally.
Evidence of Delays / Unavailability
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Chards (UK bullion dealer)
Their website notes:“Please note: there is currently a delay in supply of Britannia 1 oz Gold Coins for wholesale customers of The Royal Mint and they are currently out of stock.”
Chards -
Forums / Community Reports
On The Silver Forum, users reported that the 2025 One Ounce Gold Britannia coin was sold out at the Royal Mint due to high demand.
The Silver Forum -
Reddit Discussion (r/Gold)
One post states:“The Royal Mint has sold out on Britannia 2025 1 oz, no delivery in sight for their newly launched Britannia coin. First batch sold out during the rush.”
Reddit -
London Gold Market / Bank of England Delivery Shortfall
A news article states that the Bank of England can only deliver gold currently awaiting delivery in 4 to 8 weeks, essentially a form of default in physical deliveries.
GoldBroker -
Royal Mint — London Gold Shortage
The Royal Mint acknowledges that gold stocks in London vaults have fallen nearly 3% since October 2024, and that delivery times from London have increased from days to weeks.
Royal Mint -
Royal Mint Delivery Delays (2025 News)
A silver / precious metals news site reports that the Royal Mint is facing delivery delays due to demand and supply constraints across precious metal products.
The Bigger Picture: Gold Is Finite
It’s easy to forget that gold is a natural resource, and like oil, it’s running out.
Analysts warn that as easily accessible gold gets harder and more expensive to extract, future supply growth may slow significantly. Mining body forecasts suggest existing reserves may sustain current levels for only a limited period. While no definitive point is established, some have speculated about possible supply constraints by 2050.
That’s a serious imbalance: rising demand, shrinking supply, as seen above.
Once those numbers collide, it’s simple economics. Prices climb.
Central Banks Know It Too
Here’s where things get interesting.
While retail buyers are hesitating, the biggest players on earth are doing the opposite.
According to the World Gold Council’s 2025 Central Bank Gold Reserves Survey:
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95% of central banks expect to increase their gold holdings in the next 12 months. (I wonder why!)
(Source: gold.org)
In the first half of this year alone:
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Central banks bought 244 tonnes of gold in Q1, and another 166 tonnes in Q2.
(Source: gold.org)
That’s more than 400 tonnes in just six months.
And J.P. Morgan now forecasts that total central bank purchases could hit 900 tonnes in 2025.
(Source: jpmorgan.com)
These aren’t small players making emotional moves, these are nations repositioning their reserves.
Why? Because they understand what’s coming.
When confidence in fiat currency weakens and debt mounts, history has shown the same pattern over and over again: gold becomes the anchor, as she always has.
So, What Does This Mean for You?
Right now, gold is doing what it’s always done, quietly outperforming, quietly strengthening, quietly being accumulated by the most powerful institutions in the world.
And yet, many everyday savers are still sitting in cash, a currency being devalued faster than most realise.
If central banks are buying.
If mints are struggling to deliver.
If supply is slowing and demand is surging…
Then it’s worth asking, are you on the right side of the trade?
Final Thought
I’m not saying gold is about to vanish overnight.
But I am saying this: there’s only so much of it left to mine, and the biggest buyers in the world already know it.
When they move first, they move quietly.
When the public catches on, that’s when prices take off.
So while everyone else waits, maybe this is your time to act early, act smart, and act in your own interest.
Remember, gold prices can go up as well as down, and past performance is not a guide to future results.
This isn’t advice, it’s perspective.
