The first £1 coins featuring King Charles III are set to make their way into circulation this week, with almost three million coins being distributed to post offices and banks across the country. The new coins mark the beginning of King Charles III’s reign and celebrate his passion for the natural world, with the reverse side showcasing a pair of bees.
While King Charles III’s coins will now be a common sight, those featuring Queen Elizabeth II will continue to circulate. The Royal Mint has issued new sets of coins in response to demand, ensuring a mix of designs in circulation.
Rebecca Morgan, director at the Royal Mint, expressed her excitement about the release of the new coins, stating, “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.”
The bees featured on the coins are just one of eight new designs that will appear on the nation’s coins, ranging from the 1p to the £2. These designs, unveiled back in October, aim to highlight the importance and fragility of the natural world, with animals like the red squirrel and capercaillie grouse also making an appearance.
The Royal Mint collaborated with the Royal Horticultural Society and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to create the new designs, hoping to spark conversations about conservation efforts. Despite the new designs, the size and shape of the coins remain unchanged to ensure compatibility with vending machines and self-checkouts.
The release of the new coins marks a transition to definitive coinage that will be used daily, with the previous set featuring a shield formation introduced under Queen Elizabeth II in 2008. These designs will continue to dominate the 29 billion coins in circulation in the UK for the foreseeable future.
