LONDON – Coins featuring the portrait of King Charles III were unveiled by the Royal Mint on Thursday.
Charles will replace his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, to become the first king featured on coins in the United Kingdom since the death of his grandfather, George VI, in 1952, the BBC reported.
Officials with the Royal Mint said all coins bearing the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II would remain legal tender, according to the BBC. The mint has struck coinage for every British monarch since Alfred the Great, The Associated Press reported.
Residents in the U.K. will begin to see Charles’ image in coinage in December, as 50-pence coins depicting the new monarch will enter circulation, according to the AP. Approximately 27 billion coins bearing Elizabeth II’s image currently circulate in the country, the BBC reported.
Charles personally approved the new coinage, and his effigy was created by British sculptor Martin Jennings. The new monarch’s portrait faces to the left — the opposite direction to his mother’s, Queen Elizabeth II.
“Charles has followed that general tradition that we have in British coinage, going all the way back to Charles II actually, that the monarch faces in the opposite direction to their predecessor,” the Royal Mint Museum’s Chris Barker told the AP.
“Coinage of King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth II will co-circulate in the U.K. for many years to come,” Anne Jessopp, the chief executive of the Royal Mint, told the BBC. “We are honored to have struck each U.K. coin of Her Late Majesty’s reign, documenting her journey from young queen to respected head of state.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: King Charles III and Prince William, Prince of Wales arrive to meet emergency service workers at Lambeth HQ on September 17, 2022 in London, England. His Majesty The King thanks Emergency Service workers for their work and support ahead of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Hollie Adams/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks with emergency service workers at Lambeth HQ on September 17, 2022 in London, England. His Majesty The King thanks Emergency Service workers for their work and support ahead of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Carl de Souza – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 17: Prince William, Prince of Wales meets members of the public in the queue along the South Bank, near to Lambeth Bridge, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday, on September 17, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state at Westminster Hall until the morning of her funeral to allow members of the public to pay their last respects. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Aaron Chown-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 17: Prince William, Prince of Wales meets members of the public in the queue along the South Bank, near to Lambeth Bridge, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday, on September 17, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state at Westminster Hall until the morning of her funeral to allow members of the public to pay their last respects. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Aaron Chown-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 17: Prince William, Prince of Wales meets members of the public in the queue along the South Bank, near to Lambeth Bridge, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday, on September 17, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state at Westminster Hall until the morning of her funeral to allow members of the public to pay their last respects. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Aaron Chown-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Prince William, Prince of Wales arrives at Lambeth HQ to meet emergency workers to thank them ahead of the Queen’s funeral on September 17, 2022 in London, England.The Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 17: Prince William, Prince of Wales meets members of the public in the queue along the South Bank, near to Lambeth Bridge, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday, on September 17, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state at Westminster Hall until the morning of her funeral to allow members of the public to pay their last respects. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Aaron Chown-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Prince William, Prince of Wales greets members of the public queueing to see the lying in state of Queen Elizabeth II along the river Thames at Lambeth. on September 17, 2022 in London, England. Earlier, His Majesty The King thanked Emergency Service workers for their work and support ahead of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 17: Prince William, Prince of Wales meets members of the public in the queue along the South Bank, near to Lambeth Bridge, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday, on September 17, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state at Westminster Hall until the morning of her funeral to allow members of the public to pay their last respects. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Aaron Chown-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 17: Prince William, Prince of Wales meets members of the public in the queue along the South Bank, near to Lambeth Bridge, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday, on September 17, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state at Westminster Hall until the morning of her funeral to allow members of the public to pay their last respects. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Aaron Chown-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 17: Prince William, Prince of Wales meets members of the public in the queue along the South Bank, near to Lambeth Bridge, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday, on September 17, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state at Westminster Hall until the morning of her funeral to allow members of the public to pay their last respects. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Aaron Chown-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Prince William, Prince of Wales greets members of the public queueing to see the lying in state of Queen Elizabeth II along the river Thames at Lambeth. on September 17, 2022 in London, England. Earlier, His Majesty The King thanked Emergency Service workers for their work and support ahead of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort take part in an address in Westminster Hall on September 12, 2022, in London.
King Charles III makes an address in Westminster Hall at Houses of Parliament on September 12, 2022, in London.
Britain’s Prime Minister Liz Truss (right), Speaker of The Commons Lindsay Hoyle (second right) and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort (center), listen as Britain’s King Charles III speaks during the Presentation of Addresses by both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall, inside the Palace of Westminster, central London on September 12, 2022, in London.
Britain’s King Charles III, flanked by Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort, speaks during the Presentation of Addresses by both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall, inside the Palace of Westminster, central London on September 12, 2022, in London.
King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort take part in an address in Westminster Hall on September 12, 2022, in London.
Britain’s King Charles III attends the Presentation of Addresses by both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall, inside the Palace of Westminster, central London on September 12, 2022, in London.
Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle (center), King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort (front), make their way down the aisle as they take part in an address in Westminster Hall on September 12, 2022, in London.
Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort walk in the hall as they take part in the presentation of Addresses by both Houses of Parliament as Camilla, Queen Consort, looks on in Westminster Hall, inside the Palace of Westminster on September 12, 2022, in London.
King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, leave Westminster Hall after the Presentation of Addresses by both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament on September 12, 2022, in London.
Britain’s King Charles III and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort, leave following the presentation of Addresses by both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall, inside the Palace of Westminster on September 12, 2022, in London.
King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort leave the Palace of Westminster after the presentation of Addresses by both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament on September 12, 2022, in London.
King Charles III takes part in an address as Camilla, Queen Consort looks on in Westminster Hall on September 12, 2022, in London.
King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort take part in an address in Westminster Hall on September 12, 2022, in London.
Britain’s King Charles III and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort, take part in the presentation of Addresses by both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall, inside the Palace of Westminster on September 12, 2022, in London.
Yeomen of the Guard arrive in Westminster Hall at Houses of Parliament on September 12, 2022, in London.
Yeomen of the Guard march at the Palace of Westminster for the Presentation of Addresses by both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament on September 12, 2022, in London.
Gentlemen at Arms arrive at the Palace of Westminster ahead of the Presentation of Addresses by both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament on September 12, 2022, in London.
