King Charles will appear on money in the UK imminently.
The Royal Mint has confirmed that coins with His Majesty’s image will go into circulation in line with demand. Coins with the image of Queen Elizabeth II continue to be legal tender.
As new coins are minted, the old will remain usable and will only be withdrawn from circulation as they become worn. As they are taken out of use, the new coinage with King Charles III on it will be distributed further. It is expected that the coins will co-circulate for several years.
At the moment, there are around 27 billion coins bearing the image of Queen Elizabeth II in circulation in the UK.
Notes bearing portraits of Her Late Majesty also remain legal. The Bank of England confirmed that new notes with King Charles III on them are being prepared and will be issued by the middle of 2024.
The first images of the new money will be shared before the end of the year.
In line with the Royal Family’s focus on environmentalism, the banknotes featuring Queen Elizabeth II that have already been printed but not circulated will still be released. New notes will only be printed to replace notes that are worn out.
Little is known about how King Charles will appear on the money issued for his reign but one thing is certain. By tradition, Monarchs always face in the opposite direction from their predecessor in their money image.
