Coins featuring portrait of King Charles unveiled – as Royal Mint reveals when they will enter circulation
Coins featuring a portrait of King Charles III will gradually enter circulation from December.
The Royal Mint says his image will appear on 50p coins first – and in keeping with tradition, the King’s portrait faces to the left, the opposite direction to the Queen.
A commemorative £5 coin has also been created that features two new portraits of the late monarch on the back.
Read more: Queen’s death certificate reveals how she died
The commemorative £5 coin
Nicola Howell, chief commercial officer at the Royal Mint, said King Charles worked closely with sculptor Martin Jennings – and personally approved the effigy.
This was “to make sure there was a seamless, empathetic way to end her majesty’s reign and to actually signal the new reign of a new king”.
The Latin inscription surrounding the effigy reads: “:: CHARLES III :: D :: G :: REX :: F :: D :: 5 POUNDS :: 2022” which translates to: “King Charles III, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith.”
The effigy could be viewed as softer and less regal than those of previous monarchs.
‘His humanity coming across’
Chris Barker, from the Royal Mint Museum, described the portrait as “dignified and graceful, which reflects his years of service”.
He added: “I think if you look back on some of the portraits of Elizabeth – particularly her first portrait by Mary Gillick – it was much more idealised.
“This one is much more of the man himself, of the individual, you see the lines in his face, the years of experience, and that humanity coming across.”
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King Charles’s new royal monogram revealed
When will King Charles banknotes be released?
When will coins enter circulation?
The reverse of the commemorative £5 coin features two new portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, showing a younger and older image of the late monarch.
The design was created by artist John Bergdahl in collaboration with the Royal Mint.
It will form part of a wider memorial coin collection.
Ms Howell said: “We expect customers will start to be able to receive the commemorative range from October, and then we expect the 50p memorial circulating coin to be appearing in people’s change probably from December.”
The reverse of the 50p features a design that originally appeared on the 1953 Coronation Crown.
It was struck to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation at Westminster Abbey, and includes the four quarters of the Royal Arms depicted within a shield.
In between each shield is an emblem of the home nations: a rose, a thistle, a shamrock, and a leek.
Read more:
King Charles in pictures
The events that shaped Britain’s new King
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Timeline: From Queen’s death to funeral
All UK coins bearing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II will remain legal tender, and coins featuring the new King will co-circulate alongside those of his mother.
Historically, it has been commonplace for coins featuring the effigies of different monarchs to co-circulate, helping minimise the environmental impact and cost.
There are around 27 billion coins currently circulating in the UK bearing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. They will be replaced over time as they become damaged or worn and to meet demand for additional coins.
UK
Epping council demands government ‘immediately’ close asylum hotel – as Home Office works to ‘restore order’
Epping council has unanimously voted to urge the government to shut a hotel housing asylum seekers after a series of protests.
Epping Forest District Council in Essex passed a motion calling for the Bell Hotel to be “immediately and permanently” closed “for the purposes of asylum processing”.
Several demonstrations have been held outside the hotel since 13 July, after an asylum seeker was charged with allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl.
Police have arrested 18 people and charged nine in connection with the protests.
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Eight officers injured during migrant protest
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, from Ethiopia, denied sexually assaulting the 14-year-old girl at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court last week and will stand trial in August.
The Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has also reportedly urged the home secretary to review the use of the hotel for housing asylum seekers.
In a letter to Yvette Cooper, Roger Hirst said the hotel is unsuitable for housing migrants and is “clearly creating community tension”, the Telegraph reported.
Protests in Epping turned violent last week
Home Office ‘working to restore order’
The Home Office has vowed to “restore order,” threatening on Friday to make asylum seekers homeless if they refuse a change of accommodation.
Read more:
Epping: ‘Everyone’s on edge’
Epping the latest flashpoint of frustration
It said a new “failure to travel” policy is looking to tackle “non-compliance by asylum seekers” and will ensure individuals who are moved from hotels to suitable alternative accommodation must take it.
Those who refuse to move without a valid reason will now risk losing their housing and support, the Home Office said.
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Epping migration protest in focus
Dame Angela Eagle, minister for border security and asylum, said: “We are working to close hotels, restore order, and put fairness and value for money at the heart of our asylum system.
“This government is making those necessary decisions to protect the taxpayer and uphold the integrity of our borders.”
Asked specifically about the Epping Forest District Council vote, the Home Office said: “We’ll continue to work closely with local police and community partners, in Epping and across the country, as we fix this broken system.”
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Eight officers injured
Protests outside the Bell Hotel last Thursday began peacefully but escalated into what police described as “scattered incidents of violence,” leaving eight officers injured.
Police are braced for further protests, vowing to act swiftly if unrest spreads.
UK
There were ‘failings’ in care of ex-England cricketer Graham Thorpe in months before he died, coroner says
The actor who played PC Reg Hollis in hit TV series The Bill has been praised by officers after helping them arrest a shoplifter.
Jeff Stewart stepped in when a thief attempted to escape on a bicycle in Southampton on Wednesday.
In a statement, a Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: “The thief, 29-year-old Mohamed Diallo, fell off the bike during his attempts to flee, before officers pounced to make their arrest.
“To their surprise, local TV legend Jeff Stewart, who played PC Hollis for 24 years in The Bill, came to their aid by sitting on the suspect’s legs while officers put him in cuffs.
(L-R) Jeff Stewart, Roberta Taylor, Mark Wingett, Trudie Goodwin and Cyril Nri celebrating The Bill’s 21st anniversary in 2004. Pic: PA
“In policing you should always expect the unexpected, but this really wasn’t on The Bill for this week.”
The Bill was broadcast on ITV between 1984 and 2010 and featured the fictional lives of police officers from the Sun Hill police station in east London.
Mr Stewart, who was among the original cast, appeared in more than 1,000 episodes as PC Hollis.
Police released footage showing their pursuit of a shoplifter in Southampton. Pic: Hampshire Constabulary
As the suspect falls to the floor, PC Hollis (aka Jeff Stewart) sits on his legs. Pic: Hampshire Constabulary
In praising Mr Stewart’s actions, the force said: “Long since retired from Sun Hill station – but he’s still got it.”
Police from the Bargate Neighbourhoods Policing Team were alerted by staff at a Co-op store in Ocean Way to a suspected shoplifter on Wednesday.
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Mohamed Diallo, 29, of Anglesea Road, Southampton, was subsequently charged with five offences of theft relating to coffee, alcohol and food from the Co-op and two other Sainsbury’s stores on three dates in April and July.
He pleaded guilty at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday and was bailed to be sentenced on August 29.
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