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Buy Vat Exempt Charles III (2022-present) The Royal Mint 2023 Sovereigns Coins

Born in 1948, King Charles III is the eldest son of the late Queen Elizabeth II who passed away peacefully on 8 September 2022. Charles is the oldest person to ascend the British throne and was the longest serving heir apparent. As Prince of Wales he was patron to more than 400 charities and organisations. His other interests include climate change, heritage conservation, the arts and sustainable farming. King Charles' first coinage portrait was unveiled on 29 September by The Royal Mint. It's the work of British sculptor Martin Jennings and shows Charles facing left, the opposite direction to his mother. We'll see Jennings' portrait of King Charles on coins in our change from late 2022 onwards, circulating alongside older coins, struck during the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

Secure your 2023 Coronation Sovereigns and sets today. Available in proof, brilliant uncirculated and bullion finishes, these prestigious British coins feature a one off crowned portrait of King Charles III. Order now and get free delivery in the UK and flat rate international shipping.

Charles III (2022-present) Info

King Charles III is the current King of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms.

Born in 1948, he is the eldest son of the late Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Charles was first in line to the British throne from the day his mother became Queen in 1952. He was created Prince of Wales in 1958 and invested in 1969 at Caernarfon Castle. Charles was the longest-serving heir apparent and became the oldest person to ascend the British throne, following Elizabeth II's passing on 8 September 2022.

As Prince of Wales, Charles undertook official duties on behalf of the Queen and acted as the patron of more than 400 charities and organisations. His own charity, The Prince's Trust, supports vulnerable young people. His other interests include climate change, heritage conservation, the arts and sustainable farming. King Charles is also known for his marriage to and subsequent divorce from Princess Diana with whom he had two children: Prince William and Prince Harry. In 2005, Charles married his long-time partner, Camilla Parker Bowles, who is now Queen Consort.

During his time as Prince of Wales, Charles III featured on several Royal Mint commemorative coins, all of which featured Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. Read more about Prince Charles coins on our blog: Portraits of Charles, Prince of Wales on British Coinage.

Martin Jennings' Portrait Of Charles III

The first definitive coin portrait of King Charles III was unveiled in late September 2022, just a few weeks after he acceded to the throne. Reportedly, the effigy had been in the works for months and was chosen via a closed competition, held by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee.

The artist behind the new royal portrait is Martin Jennings, known for his bronze sculptures of British literary figures like Charles Dickens, Philip Larkin and John Betjeman. Jennings' design was created from photographs, modelled in plaster then digitally reduced to the tiny size necessary for coinage. The profile was then personally approved by the King. Speaking of the commission, Jennings said:

'I was delighted to hear that The King likes the image. He was very interested in it and responded very positively to it. It has been very gratifying to be involved in this important process.'

As expected, Jennings' royal portrait shows Charles facing left, the opposite direction to his mother who looks right on her coins. The tradition for British monarchs to face a different direction to their predecessor dates back to the seventeenth century.

Collectible Royal Mint Charles III Coins

King Charles' coinage portrait will first be used on a range of memorial coins, celebrating the life and legacy of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II who passed away on 8 September 2022.

The collection includes three new coins:

  1. A collectible 50p, with a historic reverse, inspired by the 1953 Crown, issued to mark Elizabeth II's coronation
  2. A £5 Crown, designed by John Bergdahl, showing a pair of portraits of Elizabeth II at the start and end of her reign
  3. Ounce coins, featuring a right-facing portrait of the late Queen within a wreath of laurels and national flowers, also by Bergdahl

These new commemorative designs are available across an extensive range of BU, silver, gold and platinum coins, all of which bear Martin Jennings' portrait of the King to the obverse. They're a perfect way to remember this moment of royal transition.

Read more about the Elizabeth II memorial collection on our blog: First UK Coins With Charles III Portrait: Elizabeth II Memorial Range.

King Charles' First Official Coinage

That commemorative 50p, due to be issued in late 2022, will likely be among the first of King Charles' coins to enter circulation. The Royal Mint has announced that this coin will soon join the roster of special, collectible coins we can find in our change.

Regular, definitive issue coins will follow in due course.

These new Charles III coins will circulate in the UK alongside older ones bearing Queen Elizabeth II's portrait which will remain legal tender. Before the UK decimalised its currency, it was typical for the coinage of multiple British monarchs to circulate along side each other, plus, since there are supposedly 29 billion coins in circulation in the UK, the idea of changing them out is entirely impractical.

We're looking forward to seeing what new coinage designs - both circulating and commemorative - are released in the first year of King Charles' reign. We're banking on a coronation range sometime in 2023 but there's sure to be plenty more in the pipeline as we enter this new period of British royal history.

Frequently Asked Questions

2023 proof Sovereigns are available in limited numbers. The Royal Mint only offers a few thousand full proof Sovereigns each year and 2023 is unlikely to mark a deviation from this pattern. 13,040 Platinum Jubilee 2022 proof Sovereigns were issued by The Royal Mint with just 7,995 released in 2021.

2023 Sovereigns are among the first of these gold coins to feature a portrait of King Charles III. That alone will make these coins sought after by collectors in the coming decades. Gold Sovereigns - particularly limited edition proof versions and sets - enjoy a substantial premium over gold and a healthy resale market.

2023 Sovereigns are some of the first UK commemorative coins to feature the new portrait of King Charles III by Martin Jennings. The first definitive coin effigy of His Majesty was unveiled just a few weeks after he ascended the throne, following the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The first UK coins to feature a portrait of King Charles III were a range of commemorative memorial coinage, issued to mark the passing of His Majesty’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Charles's portrait also features on the 2022 Memorial Sovereign range and will appear on the obverse of the 2023 gold Sovereign.

2023 Sovereigns will be minted in limited numbers. Proof editions are likely to prove particularly rare. For comparison, 13,040 Platinum Jubilee 2022 proof Sovereigns were issued by The Royal Mint with just 7,995 released in 2021. These 2023 coins will be some of the first to feature a portrait of King Charles III.

Usually, The Royal Mint issues their Sovereigns late in the previous year. However, autumn 2022 marked a break from tradition with the release of the 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Sovereign, rather than the anticipated 2023 Sovereign. As such we can expect the 2023 Sovereign to be released in the New Year.

2023 Sovereigns are not the first to feature the definitive coin portrait of King Charles III by Martin Jennings. That honour goes to the 2022 Memorial Sovereign, struck as a tribute to the life and legacy of His Majesty’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II. 2023 Sovereigns will be issued in Charles's coronation year.

Yes, there will be a 2023 Sovereign. There were two different Sovereigns released in 2022, first the Platinum Jubilee Sovereign and then the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Sovereign. The second release pushed back the issue date for the 2023 Sovereign that we're now expecting to appear early in the New Year.

Right now we don't know what the reverse of 2023 Sovereigns will look like. As 2023 is King Charles's coronation year The Royal Mint may celebrate the occasion with a special design like they have celebrated previous royal milestones. Otherwise, we can expect to see the classic St George and the dragon design.

No, Memorial Sovereigns were issued with a 2022 date. These coins marked the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of her son, King Charles III who is shown on the ‘heads side. 2023 Sovereigns will also feature a portrait of King Charles and will be issued in his coronation year.

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