YOU’LL want to keep an eye on your spare change as The Royal Mint unveils a new 50p featuring King Charles’ face.
The official maker of British coins is putting five million of the pieces into circulation from today.
A new 50p coin bearing the face of King Charles is entering circulation today
Commemorating the King’s coronation, the coins will be shared between Post Offices and bank branches across the UK who will then distribute them as change.
The piece has been designed by Royal Mint designer Natasha Jenkins and is the second 50p coin to enter circulation bearing His Majesty’s face.
The first was the Memorial 50p, which entered circulation in December 2022 and marked the transition from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III.
The tails side of the latest 50p coin features Westminster Abbey in a nod to where the King’s coronation was held.
Meanwhile, the heads side features His Majesty’s official portrait which was designed by renowned British sculptor Martin Jennings.
Rebecca Morgan, from The Royal Mint, said: “This is a special moment for the nation, as members of the public will have the opportunity to find a piece of history in their change.
“We anticipate the coronation 50p coins will be highly sought after among coin collectors and members of the public keen to own a piece of British history.”
Rachel Barnes, coin expert at Change Checker, said the fact the 50p coin is the first marking King Charles’ coronation to enter circulation could see it worth lots in the near future.
She added: “It celebrates an incredible moment in British royal history, the likes of which we haven’t seen in 70 years.
“A limited number will be entering circulation and are likely to be snapped up by collectors – meaning the hunt is on to find these coins before it’s too late.”
Other royal coins have sold for tens of thousands of pounds in the past, including one for £50,000.
But not all sell for such a big amount – the 2015 FWW Navy 5th Portrait £2 coin features the Queen’s face.
That piece has sold for £17 previously, almost nine times its face value.
It’s hard to say exactly how much collectors will be willing to pay for the new King Charles coronation coin.
But, you can take a look at rare coins with a similar mintage (how many were made) to get an idea on how much you might fetch for it.
For example, there’s five million Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 50p coins in circulation.
Some of these have been known to sell for £78 on eBay, which might give some indication of how much the King Charles coronation piece will go for.
While King Charles coins are slowly entering circulation, pieces bearing the effigy of the late Queen Elizabeth II will remain legal tender and in circulation.
It is commonplace for coins featuring different monarchs to co-circulate.
This ensures a smooth transition, with minimal environmental impact and cost.
There are around 27 billion coins currently circulating in the UK bearing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.
These will be replaced over time as they become damaged or worn and to meet demand for additional coins.
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