Final Queen Elizabeth coins released today before major change introduced
Topics: The Queen, King Charles III, Royal Family, Money
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
Topics: The Queen, King Charles III, Royal Family, Money
The final Queen Elizabeth II £1 coins featuring the late royal will enter circulation this week.
Over 23 million coins featuring the late Queen are being introduced, while others will bear the portrait of King Charles III instead.
The release will mark the last time Queen Elizabeth £1 coins are being released into circulation, following her death on 8 September 2022.
Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint, said: "This release represents a pivotal moment in British coinage history. As we release more of the King Charles III £1 coins into circulation alongside the final coins of Queen Elizabeth II, we're witnessing the physical representation of our monarchy's transition.
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“This dual release creates an exceptional opportunity for both seasoned numismatists and those new to coin collecting. Coin collecting offers a fascinating window into our nation's history and culture.
"Finding these new coins in your change could spark a rewarding hobby that connects you with the heritage, history and craftsmanship behind British currency."
Millions of coins featuring the King were released back in August 2024. Still, with approximately 24.7 billion coins in circulation across the UK, King Charles III coins are currently only representing around 0.004 per cent of the total number.
Royal Mint says the percentage is slowly increasing as new coins are being introduced.
"All UK coins bearing the effigy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will remain legal tender and in active circulation," they explain.
"Historically it has been commonplace for coins featuring the effigies of different monarchs to co-circulate. This ensures a smooth transition, with minimal environmental impact and cost."
Queen Elizabeth II passed away on 8 September 2022, making Charles the oldest monarch to have ever taken the throne.
A death certificate released to the public confirmed that the Queen's cause of death was old age.
Following her passing, King Charles described his mother's life as 'a life well lived'.
He said: "In 1947, on her twenty-first birthday, she pledged in a broadcast from Cape Town to the Commonwealth to devote her life, whether it be short or long, to the service of her peoples. That was more than a promise: it was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life."
The Queen's line to the throne became shorter in 1936, when her grandfather, King George V, died and her uncle took his place as King Edward VIII.
He abdicated the throne the same year, passing the responsibility to the Queen's father, King George VI.