Here's Why Charles III Didn't Wear a Crown on New Coins and Why He Faces Left Opposite the Queen

Charles III Faces Left on Coins

The Royal Mint is the UK's official maker of the country's coins and operates under the legal name, The Royal Mint Limited. It is wholly owned by the British Sovereign's Treasury and is under an exclusive contract to supply all the nation's coinage.

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, The Royal Mint unveiled the official coin effigy of the newly-ascended monarch, King Charles III, designed by an acclaimed British sculptor, Martin Jennings. The coins are part of the memorial coin collection honoring Her Majesty. And will be available first to collectors.

Charles III Faces Left on Coins Opposite His Mother
The Royal Mint unveils new coins bearing the face of Charles III. Credit: The Royal Mint
Charles III Faces Left on Coins Opposite His Mother
The Royal Mint unveils new coins bearing the face of Charles III. Credit: The Royal Mint

According to The Royal Mint website describing the designer, "Martin Jennings has been making public sculptures in the UK for many years. His representations of great writers and poets, including John Betjeman at St Pancras Station, Philip Larkin in Hull, Charles Dickens in Portsmouth, and George Orwell outside BBC’s Broadcasting House, are particularly well-known and admired".

Charles III Faces Left on Coins Opposite His Mother
Martin Jennings, the designer of His Majesty's coins. Credit: The Royal Mint
Charles III Faces Left on Coins Opposite His Mother
Credit: The Royal Mint

Jennings' design of the coinage portrait of His Majesty was personally approved by King Charles III himself. “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", Martin Jennings said via The Royal Mint.

Charles III Faces Left on Coins Opposite His Mother
The Royal Mint unveils new coins bearing the face of Charles III. Credit: The Royal Mint

Why Charles III faces left opposite the Queen?

When the design was released, many wondered why Charles III was facing left opposite of his mother, who was facing right. Here's the answer according to The Royal Mint.

Charles III Faces Left on Coins Opposite His Mother
The Royal Mint unveils new coins bearing the face of Charles III. Credit: The Royal Mint
Charles III Faces Left on Coins Opposite His Mother
Credit: The Royal Mint

"In keeping with a tradition dating back centuries to the reign of Charles II, where each monarch faces the alternate direction to their predecessor, the portrait of King Charles III faces left, whereas Queen Elizabeth II’s definitive coinage portraits show Her Majesty facing right."

So it's based on a century-old royal tradition. Queen Elizabeth II was facing right in the coin portraits in keeping with the tradition because her father, King George VI, was facing left in coin portraits. The first coins bearing the Queen's face appeared in 1953, a year after her accession to the throne. 

Charles III Faces Left on Coins
Credit: The Royal Mint

Charles III Faces Left on Coins Opposite His Mother

Bills, however, are a different matter. Queen Elizabeth II was the first monarch to appear on banknotes in 1960. While coins are manufactured and issued by The Royal Mint, banknotes are issued solely by the Bank of England and there is no convention for the direction the monarch faces on bills. 

Charles III Faces Left on Coins
Credit: Getty Images

Only the Bank of England issues banknotes in England and Wales, but six banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland can also issue banknotes that circulate in the system and may be used for cash transactions anywhere in the United Kingdom. 

Why Charles III didn't wear a crown on the new coins?

The second question is, why His Majesty did not wear a crown in the new coins just like the Queen who was wearing a tiara?

This is because previous kings traditionally never featured wearing a crown on coins, only the Queen's image that has always been designed wearing a tiara. 

Queen Elizabeth II coins facing right
In the 1960s, the Queen was featured wearing a laurel wreath

However, there were occasions when Queen Elizabeth II did not wear a crown on the coin portraits, only a laurel wreath. It was back in the early days of her reign. Beginning in 1971, all coins bearing her image were designed to feature a State Diadem or George IV Diamond Tiara which she often wore during state occasions such as the Opening of the Parliament.

Charles III's coins will enter circulation by December 2022

According to The Royal Mint, new coins featuring the King's face will enter circulation before Christmas. It will be circulated alongside existing ones depicting Queen Elizabeth II. However, it will take time before the King's coins will be available in volume.

Queen Elizabeth II coins facing right
Queen wore a State Diamond Diadem Credit: The Royal Mint
New coins featuring King Charles III
Credit: The Royal Mint

Coins can last 20 years and there are 27 billion coins in circulation featuring the late Queen's image. It will not be removed unless they are worn or damaged, according to Anne Jessopp, chief executive officer of the mint.

The change comes at no cost to the taxpayer, the mint says, because coins are always being produced to replace ones that are worn. With cash use dropping in favor of cards or mobile payment, fewer coins may be needed in the future.

Post a Comment

0 Comments