The first British coins bearing the image of King Charles were unveiled by the United Kingdom Mint. The portrait of the new monarch faces the opposite direction from that of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, following the country’s tradition.
The new image will appear on 50p coins, which will begin circulating in the coming months, and also on a 5-pound commemorative coin, which will feature two new portraits of Elizabeth on the reverse.
Since the reign of Charles II in the 17th century, the monarch has typically appeared on coins in the opposite position to his predecessor, according to the royal family’s website.
Charles personally approved the official portrait, which was done by British sculptor Martin Jennings. The image is surrounded by a Latin inscription meaning “King Charles III, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith”.
“The portrait was carved from a photograph of the king and was inspired by the iconic effigies that have graced Britain’s coins over the centuries,” said Jennings.
“It’s the smallest work I’ve created, but it’s exciting to know that it will be seen and maintained by people all over the world for centuries to come.”
Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, aged 96, after 70 years on the throne. Some 27 billion coins bearing her image are in circulation and will be gradually withdrawn from the British economy.
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