The inscription reads: “• CARLOS III • D • G • REX • F • D • 5 LIBRAS • 2022”, which translates to “King Charles III, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith”.
The portrait of King Charles III that will appear on British coins has been unveiled by the Royal Mint, the official mint of British coins.
The image, which will first appear on commemorative £5 and 50p coins to honor the life of the late Queen Elizabeth II, was designed by British sculptor Martin Jennings and approved by the monarch, according to a statement from the Royal Mint.
+ Coins and banknotes with King Charles III. and Queen Elizabeth II are circulated together
According to tradition, the king’s portrait will face to the left, in the opposite direction to that of his mother.
The Latin inscription surrounding the portrait reads: “• CARLOS III • D • G • REX • F • D • 5 LIBRAS • 2022”, which translates to “King Charles III, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith”. means. .
“It is a privilege to carve the first official effigy of Her Majesty and receive her personal approval for the design,” Jennings said in the statement.
“The portrait was carved from a photograph of the king and was inspired by the iconic images that have graced British coins over the centuries. It’s the smallest work I’ve created, but I’m humbled to know that it will be seen and held in the hands of people around the world for centuries to come.”
The 50p coin will be put into general circulation in the coming months, the Royal Mint has said.
The reverse of the £5 coin features two new portraits of Queen Elizabeth II designed by artist John Bergdahl.
The reverse of the 50p coin will feature a design that originally appeared on the late Queen’s crown coin from 1953. It will contain the four quarters of the royal arms depicted in a shield. Between each shield is the emblem of each nation of the United Kingdom: a rose for England, a thistle for Scotland, a shamrock for Northern Ireland and a leek for Wales.
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has minted more coins than any other British monarch during her 70year reign,” said Kevin Clancy, Director of the Royal Mint Museum. “As we move from the Elizabethan to the Carolean era, this represents the biggest change in British coinage in decades and the first time many people have seen a different effigy.”