The first £1 coin bearing the official portrait of King Charles III has entered general circulation as part of a collection inspired by plants and animals found across the four nations of the UK.
The latest design, featuring two bees, has been issued to Post Offices and banks, with nearly 3 million coins making their way into tills and pockets. The coins mark the King's new reign and celebrate his love of the natural world. The bees are one of eight new designs that will appear on the nation’s coins, from the 1p to the £2.
The tails side of every coin will feature the country's flora and fauna.
The 1p depicts a hazel dormouse, the 2p a red squirrel, the 5p an oak tree leaf, the 10p the endangered capercaillie, the 20p a puffin and the 50p a salmon. The £1 coin depicts two bees and the £2 coin a rose for England, a daffodil for Wales, a thistle for Scotland and a shamrock for Northern Ireland.
The remaining denominations are expected to enter circulation throughout the rest of the year, in line with demand.
Even as the King becomes a familiar sight on coins, those featuring Queen Elizabeth II will remain in circulation. New sets of coins are struck in response to demand.
"It is an honour to reveal that King Charles III’s £1 coin is now in circulation," said Rebecca Morgan, director at the Royal Mint. "We know there’ll be a buzz of excitement amongst collectors and the public to get this special piece of history in their change."
All species included in the designs, overseen by the king, are in active conservation programmes and depict the flora and fauna found in different parts of the UK.
Simon Hannah
