King Charles Coins

What will King Charles’s coins look like?

We are receiving many questions about the Queen Elizabeth coins and what the new King Charles coins might look like from The Royal Mint.

The Royal Mint revealed on the 29th of September 2022, the FIRST designs on UK coins to feature the effigy of King Charles III.

King Charles Coins

King Charles Coins – new effigy revealed

King Charles Coins – new effigy revealed

The familiar Queen’s portrait (known as an effigy) will be replaced with that of King harles, however, by royal tradition, as The Queen faced right then the King will face left. Since the reign of Charles II in the 17th century, the monarch has typically faced the opposite position of their predecessor on coins, according to the Royal Family’s website.

See all the coinage portraits of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II here.

The Latin inscription surrounding the effigy reads: “:: CHARLES III :: D :: G :: REX :: F :: D :: 5 POUNDS :: 2022”, which translates to: “King Charles III, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith”.

When will we first see Charles on coins?

New coins and notes featuring the King have been designed and the first set will pay tribute to his mother.

The coin designs have been approved by the chancellor and the King himself. The Queen’s coins did not appear until 1953, the year after her accession.

Queen Elizabeth Coins

Queen Elizabeth coins and notes will continue in circulation for many years to come and will remain legal tender.

The Queen’s image appears on each one of the 29 billion coins estimated to be in circulation.

Queen Elizabeth Coins

Are circulating coins bearing the portrait of Her Late Majesty still legal tender?

Yes, The Royal Mint has confirmed on its website that all United Kingdom circulating coins bearing portraits of Queen Elizabeth II remain legal tender and in circulation.

Has the Royal Mint stopped producing coins bearing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait?

The Royal Mint stated that as we respect this period of respectful mourning, we continue to strike coins as usual

Who designed His Majesty King Charles III’s portrait?

The portrait has been designed by renowned British Sculptor Martin Jennings. Martin has been making public sculptures in the United Kingdom for many years, including John Betjeman at St Pancras Station and George Orwell outside BBC Broadcasting House.

When will coins featuring the new portrait enter circulation?

A new 50p will enter circulation in the coming months. All UK coins bearing the effigy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will remain legal tender and in active circulation.

Why isn’t the King wearing a crown?

Portraits of British kings on their coinage have not included a crown for hundreds of years.

Why does the King’s portrait face the opposite way to the Queen?

This is a long-standing tradition that dates back to the Reformation. You can read about the history here: https://www.royalmint.com/stories/collect/coinage-portrait-tradition/

When coins featuring the King’s effigy enter circulation, will those featuring the Queen be removed?

Coins featuring Her Late Majesty’s portrait will remain in circulation. When there is demand for more coins, the King’s coinage will join them – meaning both portraits will appear in change for many years.

Will any other coins released this year feature the King’s portrait?

Only the coins commemorating Her Late Majesty’s life and reign will feature the King’s portrait this year.

Will the King’s portrait feature on the coins in the Annual Sets?

The Royal Mint will be making an announcement on future coin releases soon, so please keep an eye on our social channels. You can also register your interest on our website and we’ll email you the latest news