The first ones went on sale in the UK today currency with the portrait of Charles III, who became king on September 8.
The new 50 pence coins (nearly 58 cents) are making their appearance at post offices around the country, “which will receive 4.9 million of them,” the Royal Mint said.
The unveiling of the official portrait depicted on these coins, the work of sculptor Martin Jennings, took place at the end of September. Created from a photo and approved by King Charles.
As tradition would have it, the new king’s face is turned in the opposite direction to that of the previous monarch. Charles is therefore looking to the left, while the image of Queen Elizabeth II was facing to the right.
On the reverse side of the coins there is a motif commemorating her coronation Queen Elizabeth B in 1953, which depicts the royal coat of arms and the emblems of the four nations that make up the United Kingdom. This pattern was already present on the coins minted at that time. The coronation of Charles III will take place on May 6.
A total of 9.6 million new coins will be put into circulation initially. Around 27 billion coins are currently in circulation in the UK which bear the portrait of the late Elizabeth II: they will remain valid and will not be replaced except when damaged or worn.
The first banknotes bearing the image of the new king will go into circulation in mid-2024 and will also gradually replace those bearing the portrait of Elizabeth II when these wear out.
Source: News Beast
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