King Charles III coins: Royal Mint reveals first coins of 2023 bearing King’s official portrait

The Royal Mint has today revealed the first commemorative coins for 2023 to bear the King’s official coinage portrait.

It will offer collectors their first chance to own a set of 2023 dated coins that feature the portrait of King Charles III. 

It will also be the first time people will see the portrait of King Charles III on a £2.

The Royal Mint unveiled the King’s portrait in September 2022, as part of the Queen Elizabeth II memorial coin range. All new coins struck from January 1 2023 will now bear the portrait of King Charles III.

Anne Jessopp, chief executive of The Royal Mint says: ‘The Royal Mint has an official duty to strike the coins of UK monarchs and has been responsible for doing so since the reign of Alfred the Great.

‘We were the first Mint to reveal the effigy of King Charles III in September 2022 and as deputy master of the Mint, I am honoured to unveil the first collection of 2023 coins featuring the effigy of King Charles III as we cement our role in history with this next chapter in British coinage.

‘As we enter the New Year, we will start to see one of the biggest changes to UK coins for decades take place as King Charles III’s portrait begins to appear on all new UK coins.’

>> New King Charles 50p coins are being sold on eBay for twice their value 

What coin collectors can expect

Coins in the commemorative collection will celebrate milestone anniversaries and moments in Britain’s history, such as the King’s 75th birthday.

The 2023 sets will be available in a range of precious metal and base proof finishes from 3 January at The Royal Mint website, with prices starting from £50 for a set.

However, each of the coins will become available individually in 2023.

The gold proof and platinum coin proof collections will be beyond most coin collectors and enthusiasts budgets. They will cost £7,845 and £10,390 respectively.

However, there are other options in base or precious metals such as silver, which are more affordable.

The brilliant uncirculated coin set is the most affordable option, being available for £50 from 3 January.   

The gold, platinum and silver proof editions of the annual sets are limited edition and that will likely make them sought after by collectors and investors.

Proof coins are the highest standard of commemorative coin produced by The Royal Mint.

Their sharpness, detail and finish are unrivalled, making them perfect for collectors looking for the highest levels of craftsmanship and detail.

Rebecca Morgan, divisional director of the collector services at The Royal Mint said: ‘Each year The Royal Mint reveals a collection of coins, known as the Annual Set, which feature a range of designs that appear on £5, £2 and 50p coins marking some of the year’s most significant moments and anniversaries.

‘This year is particularly special for The Royal Mint, as we unveil the first coins of 2023 bearing His Majesty King Charles III official coin portrait, which also includes a commemorative £5 coin to celebrate His Majesty’s 75th birthday.

‘The Annual Set provides members of the public with an opportunity to collect the very first coins of 2023 with The king’s portrait and mark this historic transition in monarchy on coins.’

£5 celebrating the 75th birthday of the king

In 2023, King Charles III will celebrate his 75th birthday. The Royal Mint is paying tribute to our new monarch as he sets out to serve the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

His Majesty’s love of nature and plants is captured within the design of this commemorative £5, where the crown, the king’s cypher, and the number 75 are framed within oak leaves and delphiniums.

The precious metal editions of the coin will also bear an edge inscription which says ‘restoring harmony with nature’.

£2 coin celebrating the life and work of JRR Tolkien

As the maker of Middle-earth, the father of modern fantasy fiction, and an accomplished scholar and philologist, JRR Tolkien is best known for creating the fantasy novel, The Hobbit, in 1937 and the Lord of the Rings in 1954–55.

The £2 coin features Tolkien’s unique monogram encircled by a runic band.

‘Not all those who wander are lost,’ a quote taken from the poem, ‘The Riddle of Strider,’ which features in Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, serves as the coin’s edge inscription.

£2 celebrating the Centenary of Flying Scotsman

Earning its name from the daily 10am London to Edinburgh rail service, the Flying Scotsman’s 100-year journey has seen it break railway records, gain worldwide fame, and become an enduring symbol of the great age of steam.

As the Flying Scotsman celebrates its centenary in 2023, The Royal Mint has produced a £2 coin to celebrate the oldest working locomotive still operating on the UK’s mainline railways.

The coin will also bear a fitting edge inscription, ‘live for the journey.’

50p celebrating 75 Years of the NHS

Established in 1948 with the aim of providing care, based on need, and free at the point of use, the National Health Service has been a vital component of British society since its creation.

Celebrating 75 years of care, compassion and devotion, this commemorative UK 50p coin features a reverse design which incorporates words that reflect our universal appreciation of the NHS.

50p celebrating 75 Years of the Windrush Generation

On 21 June 1948, a ship called HMT Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury, in Essex, having arrived from Jamaica.

The ship has become symbolic of its passengers and their subsequent generations who have played a pivotal role in shaping the United Kingdom since the Second World War.

This 50p coin commemorates 75 years since the ship’s arrival and features a design by the artist Valda Jackson, whose parents came to Britain from the Caribbean, which depicts two of the ship’s passengers set against a backdrop of the Union flag.