King Charles curiously examines commemorative £5 coin featuring his crowned portrait for the first time – just weeks before his May coronation
- King Charles III was presented with the £5 coins during a Royal Mint visit
- READ MORE: First crowned portrait of King Charles to feature on commemorative 50p and £5 coins released ahead of coronation
The King appeared delighted as he was presented with a £5 coin from a Coronation commemorative range featuring his crowned portrait for the first time.
Charles, 74, curiously examined the currency – the first to be struck – while meeting with the Royal Mint’s executive officer, Anne Jessopp and director, Rebecca Morgan, who stopped by for a visit at Windsor Castle.
The monarch, who will officially be crowned next month, wore a grey spring suit as he took in the collection, which includes a 50p, and will be released later this month ahead of the May 6 celebration.
The King’s effigy, which was designed by artist and sculptor Martin Jennings and is emblazoned on the highly collectible coins, depicts him wearing the Tudor Crown.
The crown was personally selected by the King for the portrait despite it no longer existing, having been destroyed in the 1640s.
Charles, 74, curiously examined the currency – the first to be struck – while meeting with the Royal Mint ‘s executive officer, Anne Jessopp and director, Rebecca Morgan, who stopped by for a visit at Windsor Castle
It continues the tradition of the crown being used in portraits of kings in the 20th century, including those of his great-grandfather King George VI.
Mr Jennings said he was ‘proud’ to have created the portrait, which he said was ‘both dignified and celebratory for this historic occasion’.
The 50p coin also features a drawing of Westminster Abbey – where Charles will be crowned – by the Royal Mint’s resident designer, Natasha Jenkins.
The £5 coin features a design by Timothy Noad, showing the sacred and symbolic objects used in the coronation ceremony – known as the Coronation Regalia – and the St Edward’s Crown.
The range also contains a number of ounce coins that are available in several editions and sizes, each featuring the crowned portrait of the King on one side and an intricate design by John Bergdahl on the other.
The 50p coins will be available to buy from 9am on April 24 for between £11 and £1,220, while the £5 coins are priced between £14.50 and £2,995.
A 1kg solid gold proof coin featuring the designs of Mr Jennings and Mr Bergdahl will go on sale for £77,565.
Five million 50ps are set to enter circulation later in 2023 featuring the original, uncrowned effigy of Charles by Mr Jennings and the commemorative Westminster Abbey drawing by Ms Jenkins.
The royal, who will officially be crowned next month, wore a grey spring suit as he took in the collection
The King’s effigy, which was designed by artist and sculptor Martin Jennings and is emblazoned on the highly collectible coins, depicts him wearing the Tudor Crown
This follows the five million memorial 50ps that entered circulation after the King ascended the throne.
Rebecca Morgan, director of collector services at the Royal Mint, called the range ‘a wonderful keepsake of such a historic occasion’.
‘This is the first coronation that most of us will ever have seen – it has been 70 years since the last coronation in this country,’ she said. ‘And we know lots of people are gearing up to have a huge celebration.
‘It is a historic moment for Britain and people are going to want something to remember it by and these coins are the perfect choice for that.’
The Royal Mint has struck the coins of the monarch ‘since the times of Alfred the Great’, she added. ‘We are marking a moment in history and a new chapter in British coinage.’
Rebecca Morgan, director of collector services at the Royal Mint, called the range ‘a wonderful keepsake of such a historic occasion’
A 1kg solid gold proof coin featuring the designs of Mr Jennings and Mr Bergdahl will go on sale for £77,565
The range also contains a number of ounce coins that are available in several editions and sizes, each featuring the crowned portrait of the King on one side and an intricate design by John Bergdahl on the other
The crown was personally selected by the King for the portrait despite it no longer existing, having been destroyed in the 1640s
The historian and curator at the Royal Mint Museum, Chris Barker, said the coins are unusual as they feature a crowned effigy of the King which in the 20th century has been reserved for commemorative medals only.
‘What also really stands out is the way the King is portrayed crowned because there’s a remarkable resemblance to his grandfather, George VI,’ he said. ‘And he has been shown wearing the Tudor Crown on coronation medals from his reign.
‘You can see that the King is obviously channelling some of the iconography of the last king that Britain had.’
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