Special King Charles Coronation 50p coins issued

A peculiar 50 pence coin marking the Coronation of King Charles is going into circulation this week.

The Royal Mint is issuing 5 cardinal of the coins, with a plan based connected Westminster Abbey, wherever the Coronation was held successful May.

It volition let the nationalist to "find a portion of past successful their change", said the Royal Mint's Rebecca Morgan.

But the caller King's coins volition beryllium outnumbered by 27 cardinal from the precocious Queen's reign, inactive successful circulation.

So acold the 50 pence portion has been the astir disposable motion of alteration successful the coinage. This caller Coronation coin follows an earlier 50 pence, released successful December, which was the archetypal mass-circulation coin to show the King's head.

There has been nary timetable announced yet for different caller coins to beryllium issued, though the first King Charles banknotes are expected to look adjacent year.

The volition with coins, banknotes and stamps has been to usage up existing stocks from Queen Elizabeth II's era, with caller items from the King's reign gradually being introduced.

The Royal Mint expects the Coronation coin - with the representation and insignia of King Charles - to beryllium fashionable among "members of the nationalist keen to ain a portion of British history".

The illustration of King Charles follows the contented of looking successful the other absorption to the coins of his predecessor.

With a beardown inclination towards cashless payments, it mightiness beryllium a portion earlier immoderate radical announcement the caller coins.

According to the banking manufacture assemblage UK Finance, betwixt 2011 and 2021 the usage of currency fell from 55% of payments to 15%, with a further autumn to 6% forecast for 2031.

But the banking assemblage says determination are inactive much than a cardinal consumers who usage currency arsenic their main means of payment.