King Charles-inspired coins to be released - here's what's special about them

Keep your eyes peeled at the end of this year for a new type of coin in circulation - The Royal Mint has revealed a fresh design will be released before 2024. King Charles is known as a champion for environmental issues - though he has acted recently in ways that seem to contradict this - and these coins will reflect his love for nature.

The new design will celebrate what the UK boasts in terms of animals and plants. So, they will feature images of Britain’s flora and fauna, but that’s not the only thing that’s different about these coins… They will have larger numbers than usual. The reason behind this? To encourage children to read them and learn their numbers.

Why these coins are being made

Although we are leaning more and more towards cashless payments in the UK, the Mint says there is still a need for coins - and a desire to maintain heritage and tradition. Rebecca Morgan, director at the Mint, told the BBC:

We know a large proportion of the country are still heavily reliant on cash.

It is also tradition to mark the moment of a monarch coming to the throne with a new set of coinage, so it is important that we carry on that tradition.

Although there are already coins featuring King Charles’ face, these new designs - officially called ‘definitives’ - symbolise the final phase of the King’s transition into coinage.

The designs of the new coins

The designs will be as follows:

• 1p: A hazel dormouse, which has seen its population halve since 2007
• 2p: A red squirrel, which is expected to blend into the colour of the copper coin
• 5p: An oak tree leaf, signifying its role as a rich habitat for biodiversity in woodland areas and an association with monarchy of the past
• 10p: The capercaillie - the world's largest grouse - found in a small part of Scotland and threatened with extinction
• 20p: A puffin
• 50p: The Atlantic salmon, which is at threat from river pollution and habitat loss
• £1: Bees
• £2: National flowers - a rose for England, a daffodil for Wales, a thistle for Scotland and a shamrock for Northern Ireland

Ms Morgan said that the animals on the designs are very child-friendly, and ‘great conversation starters’:

The large numbers will be very appealing to children who are learning to count and about the use of money.

Old coins will still be in use but these ‘definitives’ should be around for years or even decades.

Read more:

⋙ King Charles will no longer meddle with politics but he wants to be 'kept informed'

⋙ King Charles: The real reason why the monarch never eats lunch revealed

⋙ Will King Charles stop this extreme royal tradition that has a worrying impact on UK's history?

Sources used:

BBC: King Charles III new coins designed to help children to count

The Guardian: Royal Mint unveils new coin design inspired by King Charles