Britain’s Royal Mint has unveiled the first coins to feature the portrait of King Charles III.
Britons will begin to see Charles’ image in their change from around December, as 50-pence coins depicting him gradually enter circulation.
The new monarch’s effigy was created by British sculptor Martin Jennings, and has been personally approved by Charles, the Royal Mint said Friday. In keeping with tradition, the king’s portrait faces to the left — the opposite direction to his mother’s, Queen Elizabeth II.
“Charles has followed that general tradition that we have in British coinage, going all the way back to Charles II actually, that the monarch faces in the opposite direction to their predecessor,” said Chris Barker at the Royal Mint Museum.
Charles is depicted without a crown. A Latin inscription surrounding the portrait translates to “King Charles III, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith.”
A separate memorial 5-pound coin remembering the life and legacy of Elizabeth will be released Monday. One side of this coin features Charles, while the reverse side features two new portraits of Elizabeth side by side.
Based in south Wales, the Royal Mint has depicted Britain’s royal family on coins for over 1,100 years, documenting each monarch since Alfred the Great.
“When first we used to make coins, that was the only way that people could know what the monarch actually looked like, not in the days of social media like now,” said Anne Jessopp, chief executive of the Royal Mint. “So the portrait of King Charles will be on each and every coin as we move forward.”
Jennings, the sculptor, said the portrait was sculpted from a photo of Charles.
“It is the smallest work I have created, but it is humbling to know it will be seen and held by people around the world for centuries to come,” he said.
Charles acceded to the throne Sept. 8 upon the death of his mother, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, who died at age 96.
Around 27 billion coins bearing Elizabeth II’s image currently circulate in the United Kingdom All will remain legal tender and be in active circulation, to be replaced over time as they become damaged or worn.
(AP)
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4 Responses
It was more noteworthy when they issued a coin with the image of Charles when he was Prince of Wales. They have been issuing coins with the image of the King/Queen for centuries, but that was the first time they put a Prince of Wales on the coin (BTW, just as his mother set the record for longest reign, Charles had the longest tenure as Prince of Wales).
Since coins are now issued more for the benefit of collectors (in the real work, payments are more likely to be electronic than using cash or coin), this is really of interest only to coin collectors.
The Royal Mint actually said “Today we are honoured to reveal the first official effigy of His Majesty King Charles III …. Designed by British sculptor Martin Jennings and personally approved by His Majesty The King, the first definitive coinage portrait of the monarch appears on each new coin in the collection. In line with royal and numismatic tradition, His Majesty’s portrait faces left. Coins bearing portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III will both circulate in change for years to come.” The British refer to their Sovereign in respectful terms, as His Majesty, not as “Charles”.
And here I thought they’re putting out a new breath mint engraved with the royal visage. Was gonna ask if it’s kosher..
Akuperma, go into any grocery and you’ll see people paying with cash. 50p coins are in extremely common use.
And this is the first time ever that he has been on the obverse of a coin. He’s been on the reverse, but that means nothing. The reverse of a coin is whatever they want to put. The L5 coin (which is a collectors’ piece) will have E2R on the reverse. The important thing is the obverse, and there has been no coin since 1952 that did not have E2R there.