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King Charles III is depicted without a crown in his first coin effigy, just as his grandfather, King George VI, a royal expert has noted.
The Royal Mint today unveiled the first official coin effigy of the king and the 50p will go into circulation before Christmas.
He is depicted without a crown, unlike the queen, who wore a tiara or crown in all but one of her coin effigies.
Gyles Brandreth, a friend of the Duke of Edinburgh, commented on This Morning today that Charles is not wearing a crown — in echoes of his grandfather, King George VI.
The official photo of the new 50p issued by the Royal Mint, which saw the host of This Morning not wearing a crown like his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II
George V, grandfather of Charles III, looked to the right and wore no crown, like his grandson
Queen Elizabeth II had five different effigies on coins during her reign and her first coin in 1953 wore a ribbon in her hair
He said, ‘It’s not uncommon. Monarchs do not always wear crowns on their coin portraits.
“We can see that in examples of earlier kings and queens and indeed in the late father of the Queen, King George VI, who, like Charles, wore no crown in his.”
Edward VII, Charles’s great-uncle – is also seen without a crown on his 1937 coins, prior to his abdication and the reign of George V.
People will start seeing the image of the king in their change from December as 50 pence coins depicting Charles gradually come into circulation to meet demand.
Meanwhile, the Mint will release a series of commemorative coins on Monday, October 3 at 9 a.m. to commemorate the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II.
The King’s portrait will first appear on a special £5, 50p crown commemorating the Queen.
Former MP Gyles Brandeth has collected coins all his life and confirmed that ‘many monarchs’ did not wear crowns in their portraits
The image of Queen Elizabeth II has changed a total of five times on coins over the years, with the original design unveiled by the Royal Mint showing her wearing a ribbon in her hair instead of a crown until 1970.
A new version was released in 1971 with her wearing a small tiara and in 1985 the monarch was depicted on coins with the royal diadem she wears on her way to and from the State Opening of Parliament, and includes a necklace and earrings .
In 1998, the current coins, which many are familiar with, were released with Ian Rank-Broadley’s design, in which Queen Elizabeth II looked more mature.
Queen Elizabeth II coin in 1973, where she is seen wearing a small tiara designed by David Wynne to commemorate accession to the EU
More recent versions over the past 30 years show the late monarch wearing her crown in coins as she matured and her reign had lasted for decades.
People will start seeing the image of the king in their change from December as 50 pence coins depicting Charles gradually come into circulation to meet demand.
Meanwhile, the Mint will release a series of commemorative coins on Monday, October 3 at 9 a.m. to commemorate the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II.
The King’s portrait will first appear on a special £5, 50p crown commemorating the Queen.
Nicola Howell, chief commercial officer at the Royal Mint, said: “We expect customers to be able to receive the commemorative collection from October and then we expect the circulating 50 cent commemorative coin will probably appear in people’s change from December.”
Queen Elizabeth II’s coin portraits over the years – the late Queen had a total of five different portrait designs
The effigy of the king was created by sculptor Martin Jennings and personally approved by Charles, the Mint said.
In keeping with tradition, the portrait of the king faces to the left, in the opposite direction to Queen Elizabeth II.
Chris Barker of the Royal Mint Museum told PA: “Charles has followed that general tradition that we have in British coinage, going all the way back to Charles II actually, that the monarch is in the opposite direction to his predecessor.”
The exception to this was King Edward VIII, who preferred his portrait to his face to the left. The tradition was restored when King George VI – the father of Elizabeth II – came to the throne.