The Royal Mint, the body responsible for minting British coins, unveiled on Friday a portrait of King Charles III featuring his likeness for future coins.
This portrait appears on two coins in a special series celebrating the life of Queen Elizabeth II: one for 5 pounds sterling and the other for 50 pence. They will go into circulation “in the coming months”, possibly as early as December, the Royal Mint said in a press release.
The work of sculptor Martin Jennings was created from a photo and approved by the King, the official image that would adorn future coins featuring the effigy of Charles III.
“It’s the smallest work I’ve ever created,” he comments, “and the fact that it’s seen and held by so many people” touches him.
“Traditionally, the portrait of the King appears to the left, opposite that of Queen Elizabeth II,” the Royal Mint notes on the portrait that adorns the coins currently in circulation.
Coins bearing the king’s effigy bear the inscription in Latin: “Charles III. d. G. REX. F. d. 5 pounds 2022″, or “King Charles III, by the grace of God, Defender of the Faith” – one of the sovereign’s titles.
The reverse of the 5 pound commemorative coin features two new portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, created by artist Jan Bergdahl in collaboration with the Royal Mint.
“All British coins bearing the likeness of Elizabeth II are legal tender and in circulation. It is historically common for coins bearing the image of different monarchs to be in circulation at the same time”, points out the Royal Mint, which has “affixed portraits of the royal family to coins for more than 1100 years”.
The organization says there are currently 27 billion coins bearing the effigy of Elizabeth II in the United Kingdom and they will be replaced over time as they become damaged.
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