New coins with portrait of King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth II revealed - when they go into circulation

The Royal Mint has announced the first official effigy of King Charles including a collection of memorial coins and a new 50p.

The new coin designs will depict the Monarch facing left and have been designed by sculptor Martin Jennings. The King has personally approved the new effigy.

Jennings consulted photographs for his designs, instead of having the King appear for a portrait, the BBC reported.

King Charles III’s portait will first appear on a special £5 Crown.

Memorial coin collection in memory of the Queen

According to the Royal Mint, the memorial coin collection - made in honour of Queen Elizabeth II - will be released on Monday, October 3 at 9am.The 50p coin will be in general circulation before the end of the year.

Nicola Howell, chief commercial officer at the Royal Mint, told the PA news agency: “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.”

Both coins bearing the face of Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III will “circulate in change for years” and will be widely accepted in shops.

The Royal Mint is the oldest coin maker in the UK and has struck coins for the royal family for over 1,100 years at their site at Llantrisant, South Wales.