For more than two generations, spanning just over 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II not only reigned as Queen of England, but she appeared in countless portraits on paper currency and coinage in Britain, across the United Kingdom, and throughout the Commonwealth. With her passing in September 2022, mints around the world have ushered in plans to replace her effigy with that of King Charles III, her eldest son, and successor. The Royal Mint is the first to begin rolling out His Majesty’s portrait of bullion coins and starts with its popular Britannia Series.
The New King Charles III Obverse
In late 2022, artist Martin Jennings began work on a new monarch portrait for use on the coins of the Royal Mint. Though circulation designs were the first to use the image, bullion collections at the mint are now beginning to feature the design. In this portrait from Jennings, King Charles III is shown in left-profile relief without a crown on his head. Exact inscriptions will vary by coin program and weight, but the most common will be the new markings of CHARLES III and D.G. REX F.D.
Continuing a Tradition
The portraits of British monarchs on Royal Mint coinage not only change to match the new monarch, or better reflect that monarch as they age but also change orientation to mark a new reign. Queen Elizabeth II was featured on British coins throughout her reign in right-profile relief, offering a change from her father, King George VI’s left-profile effigies.
In keeping with that tradition, Martin Jennings casts the new King Charles III in left-profile relief to mark the change from the reign of his mother to his own. Additionally, another tradition more common for male monarchs returns with the King Charles III portrait. While Her Late Majesty was always shown with a crown or tiara, King Charles III is shown without a crown. The vast majority of male monarch portraits over the last century have lacked a crown.
Available King Charles III Coins
The Royal Mint is only beginning to release coins with the obverse image of the new monarch, but some of its most important collections are the first to get this new design. The entire lineup of British Britannia bullion coins, from gold and silver to platinum, is available from the Royal Mint with King Charles III now on the obverse. Additionally, the Gold Sovereign is also beginning to release with this same effigy of the new king.
Start a New Collection with King Charles III Coinage at JM Bullion
JM Bullion is happy to offer the latest King Charles III coins from the Royal Mint. Most notably, the British Britannia. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Our customer service team is available at 800-276-6508, online using our live chat, and via our email address. Don’t forget to follow us on social media and keep up with our blog posts to stay up-to-date on the latest releases.
