The Royal Mint has revealed the first commemorative coins for 2023 to bear King Charles III's official portrait. The release is the first chance for collectors to own a set of the dated coins that feature His Majesty's face.
The Royal Mint unveiled the portrait in September, 2022, as part of Queen Elizabeth II's memorial coin range. All new coins struck from January 1, 2023, will now bear the face of the King. The move is one of the biggest changes to UK coins since decimalisation.
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Anne Jessopp, CEO of The Royal Mint, said: “The Royal Mint has an official duty to strike the coins of UK monarchs and has been responsible for doing so since the reign of Alfred the Great. We were the first Mint to reveal the effigy of King Charles III in September, 2022, and as Deputy Master of the Mint, I am honoured to unveil the first collection of 2023 coins featuring the effigy of King Charles III as we cement our role in history with this next chapter in British coinage.
"Our role as an exemplar of British craftsmanship means each coin bearing his portrait is of the highest quality, from the metal it’s struck on, to the hours of craft that’s gone into the design, the tooling and the final product for our customers. As the official maker of UK coins, The Royal Mint has been proud to strike every single UK coin for Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for 70 years. As we enter the New Year, we will start to see one of the biggest changes to UK coins for decades take place as King Charles III’s portrait begins to appear on all new UK coins.” You can get more local news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
The Royal Mint’s Annual Sets celebrate key events and anniversaries throughout the year, bringing milestones to life on a £5, £2 or 50p coin. The 2023 Annual Set will include coins celebrating and commemorating:
- The 75th Birthday of His Majesty King Charles III £5 coin
- Celebrating the Life and Work of JRR Tolkien £2
- Celebrating the Centenary of Flying Scotsman £2
- 75 Years of the National Health Service 50p
- 75 Years of the Windrush Generation 50p
About the 2023 designs:
The 75th birthday of His Majesty King Charles III £5
His Majesty’s love of nature and plants is captured within the design of this commemorative £5, where the crown, The King’s cypher, and the number 75 is framed within oak leaves and delphiniums. The precious metal editions of the coin will also bear an edge inscription which says: "RESTORING HARMONY WITH NATURE".
Celebrating the life and work of JRR Tolkien £2
In honour of Tolkien’s intellect and imagination, this £2 coin features Tolkien’s unique monogram encircled by a skilfully designed runic band. "NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST", a quote taken from the poem, ‘The Riddle of Strider,’ which features in Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, serves as the coin’s edge inscription.
Celebrating the Centenary of Flying Scotsman £2
The Royal Mint has produced a £2 coin to celebrate the oldest working locomotive still operating on the UK’s mainline railways. The coin will also bear a fitting edge inscription: "LIVE FOR THE JOURNEY".
75 Years of the National Health Service 50p
This commemorative UK 50p coin features a reverse design which incorporates words that reflect our appreciation of the NHS.
75 Years of the Windrush Generation 50p
This 50p coin commemorates 75 years since the ship’s arrival and features a design by the artist Valda Jackson, whose parents came to Britain from the Caribbean, which depicts two of the ship’s passengers set against a backdrop of the Union flag. The 2023 commemorative sets will be available in a range of precious metal and base proof finishes, from January 3 at The Royal Mint website, with prices starting from £50. Each of the coins will be available individually in 2023.
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