Royal Mint kicks off production of new coins, including £1 featuring British Bees

Royal Mint The new £1 coin features British bees. Photo: Ben Birchall/PA — Royal Mint: The new £1 coin features British bees. Photo: Ben Birchall/PA (Ben Birchall/PA Wire)

The Royal Mint has started production of eight new coins inspired by King Charles III's passion for conservation and the natural world.

The first coins to be struck include the £1 featuring British bees, the 5p featuring an oak leaf and the 50p featuring an Atlantic salmon.

The new designs will feature across the across the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2 coins and are all inspired by Britain’s natural habitat.

The 50p will be the first coin to enter circulation and is expected to appear in people’s change by the end of November, with other denominations expected to enter circulation from 2024 in line with demand.

The new coins mark the final chapter of the King’s transition onto British coinage, with millions of the coins in production at the Royal Mint. Old coins can still be used, with the new set struck in response to demand.

Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said: “This is a rare and historic moment as we introduce eight new designs across the UK’s coins.

“The new coins celebrate Britain’s natural habitat and reflect King Charles III’s lifelong commitment to conservation. The 50p will be the first coin to enter circulation by the end of November and we hope it will help spark conversations about conservation.”

The numbers indicating the value of each coin have also been enlarged, to help children understand the value of money.

“We anticipate the first coins bearing the news designs to be highly collectable, with members of the public checking their change to find these wonderful designs for the very first time,” Morgan added.

The reverse, or tails side, of the new coins will feature the following designs:

1p: A hazel dormouse, which has seen its population halve since 2007
2p: A red squirrel, which is expected to blend into the colour of the copper coin
5p: An oak tree leaf, signifying its role as a rich habitat for biodiversity in woodland areas and an association with monarchy of the past
10p: The capercaillie — the world's largest grouse — found in a small part of Scotland and threatened with extinction
20p: A puffin
50p: The Atlantic salmon, which is at threat from river pollution and habitat loss
£1: Bees
£2: National flowers — a rose for England, a daffodil for Wales, a thistle for Scotland and a shamrock for Northern Ireland

Unifying the new coins is a repeating pattern featuring three interlocking Cs. This aspect of the design takes its inspiration from history and the cypher of Charles II.

The edge inscription of the new £2 coin was chosen by Charles and reads “In servitio omnium”, which is Latin for “In the service of all”. It was taken from the King’s inaugural speech on 9 September 2022.