The new image will appear on 50 pence ($0.55) coins, which will begin circulating around December. A separate memorial 5-pound coin remembering the life and legacy of Elizabeth will be released Monday. One side of this coin features Charles, while the reverse side features two new portraits of Elizabeth side by side.
The new monarch's effigy was created by British sculptor Martin Jennings, and has been personally approved by Charles, the Royal Mint said Friday. In keeping with tradition, the king's portrait faces to the left — the opposite direction to his mother's, Queen Elizabeth II.
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“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," said Chris Barker at the Royal Mint Museum.
Charles is depicted without a crown. A Latin inscription surrounding the portrait translates to “King Charles III, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith."
Based in south Wales, the Royal Mint has depicted Britain's royal family on coins for over 1,100 years, documenting each monarch since Alfred the Great.
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“When first we used to make coins, that was the only way that people could know what the monarch actually looked like, not in the days of social media like now," said Anne Jessopp, chief executive of the Royal Mint. "So the portrait of King Charles will be on each and every coin as we move forward."
Jennings, the sculptor, said the portrait was sculpted from a photo of Charles.
“It is the smallest work I have created, but it is humbling to know it will be seen and held by people around the world for centuries to come," he said.
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Because coins can last 20 years, the 27 billion showing the late queen will not be removed unless they are worn or damaged, according to Anne Jessopp, chief executive officer of the mint, so it will be a while before all the coins change to Charles’ face.
The change comes at no cost to the taxpayer, the mint says, because coins are always being produced to replace ones that are worn. With cash use dropping in favor of cards or mobile payment, fewer coins may be needed in the future.
As per Bloomberg, UK banknotes will remain the same for now.
The Bank of England has announced that it will continue to issue existing notes featuring the queen, following guidance from the Royal Household to “minimize the environmental and financial" impact of any changes. New banknotes are set to be unveiled by the end of the year and are expected to enter circulation by 2024.
Charles acceded to the throne September 8 upon the death of his mother, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, who died at age 96. The royal ceremony was also televised for the first time in history. “God save the King" were the words with which those gathered reaffirmed the proclamation made by the clerk of the council.
(With inputs from agencies)
