First £1 coins to feature Britain's King Charles enter circulation
Britain's new £1 coin, featuring King Charles. Picture: Chris Fairweather/Royal Mint/PA Wire
The first £1 coins featuring Britain's King Charles III have entered circulation in the UK.
Nearly three million of the new designs will be making their way into people’s pockets and tills across Britain this week, via post offices and banks.
The £1 coin depicts a pair of British bees on the “tails” side, in honour of King Charles's passion for conservation and the natural world, and his official coin effigy is on the obverse or “heads”.
A total of 2.975 million £1 coins are being issued to banks and Post Offices, and they will co-circulate alongside ones displaying the effigy of the late Queen Elizabeth II, which will be replaced over time as they become damaged or worn.
The £1 coin is one of eight designs ranging from the 1p to the £2, inspired by flora and fauna to reflect King Charles's commitment to the environment, which were created as new definitives — standardised designs seen on the majority of official currency.
Following commemorative coins bearing his portrait, the first Charles III definitive — the 50p depicting an Atlantic salmon — was released in November 2023.
The other designs, which will be introduced in line with demand, are the 1p showing a hazel dormouse, the 2p red squirrel, the 5p oak tree leaf, 10p capercaillie grouse, 20p puffin, and the £2 with the national flowers — a rose for England, a daffodil for Wales, a thistle for Scotland and a shamrock for Northern Ireland.
A public poll by the Royal Mint found that the £1 bee coin was the favourite, closely followed by the 2p red squirrel.
The number indicating the value of the coin has also been enlarged to help children with their counting skills.
Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at The Royal Mint, said: “The Royal Mint has made the circulating coinage of each of Britain’s monarchs since Alfred the Great and it is an honour to reveal that King Charles III’s £1 coin is now in circulation.
“We know there’ll be a buzz of excitement amongst collectors and the public to get this special piece of history in their change.
“We hope the designs across all denominations spark important conversations about the conservation of these important species.”
Banknotes with King Charles's portrait went into circulation in June.
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