Canada’s King Charles III Coin Effigy Revealed!

More than a year after His Majesty King Charles III was officially proclaimed Head of State and Sovereign of Canada, The Royal Canadian Mint have announced the release of their official King Charles III coin effigy.

The official Canadian King Charles III effigy
Credit: Royal Canadian Mint

The news was shared on the 14th November – making for a wonderful birthday treat for His Majesty, who celebrated his 75th birthday that day.

SELL OUT Canada King Charles III 50 cent Coin Roll

The brand new Canadian effigy of His Majesty features on the 50 cent coin, which has been issued in a highly sought-after special collector’s edition Wrap Roll.

2023 Canada 50 cent Coin Roll
2023 Canada 50 cent Coin Roll

Each of the Wrap Rolls include 25 brand new 2023 dated Canada 50 cent coins, which feature a design of the Canadian Coat of Arms on the reverse and – for the first time in seventy years – a new monarch’s portrait on the obverse.

The first Canadian King Charles III effigy
The first Canadian King Charles III effigy

A Special Presentation

The coins are packaged in special, themed illustrated paper wrapping, featuring the official Royal Canadian Mint logo and a stylised band of Fleur-de-lis – a traditional Royal symbol of Canada.

Special edition themed wrapping
Special edition themed wrapping

You might not have heard of coin rolls before, but they’re a big deal across the pond, and a highly collectable way to own Canadian coins. Previously, Canadian coin rolls have proved incredibly popular with UK collectors, and we’ve even seen sell outs of our initial allocations of these rolls in the past.

2020 Canada Royal Arms 50p cent Roll
2020 Canada Royal Arms 50p cent Roll
2022 Queen Elizabeth II Canadian $2 Wrap Roll
2022 Queen Elizabeth II Canadian $2 Wrap Roll

A Canadian Collecting Frenzy

These Canadian 50 cent Coin Rolls are part of the first wave of Canadian coinage that features the new obverse of King Charles III, so it’s currently the only way to secure them for your collection. There were also only 25,000 rolls available worldwide – making them highly sought-after by collectors. So sought-after in fact, that they SOLD OUT at The Royal Canadian Mint within just four days!

We’ve been lucky enough to secure just 500 Canada 50 cent Wrap Rolls for UK collectors, and once they’re gone, they’re gone! So don’t miss out – add these coins to your collection now for just £29.99 (+£3.99 postage) >>


A Major Change for Canadian Coinage

During her incredible 70 year reign, there have been four different obverse portraits of Queen Elizabeth II used on Canadian coinage. The latest portrait change was in 2003 when Susanna Blunt’s effigy of Her Late Majesty made its way onto Canadian coins.

All four Canadian coin effigies for Queen Elizabeth II, from 1953 to 2023

Considering that the obverse of Canadian coinage hasn’t changed in over 20 years, and the fact that we haven’t seen a King on Canadian coins in 7 decades, the introduction of King Charles III’s effigy is sure to cause a stir in the coin collecting world.

The Process of Creating an Effigy

As you might imagine, there are a lot of steps behind the scenes that go into creating a new effigy…

Canada’s new coin effigy was created from Steven Rosati’s winning design, following an invitation to more than 350 artists and engravers.

Royal Canadian Mint President and CEO Marie Lemay and Canadian artist Steven Rosati unveiling the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III. Credit: Royal Canadian Mint Facebook

The process involved each artist/engraver submitting a portfolio of portrait work to be evaluated. These were then shortlisted before a brief outlining mandatory design requirements was given out.

An internal Mint review panel judged submissions based on aesthetics, technical requirements and mass-production suitability before the winning design was submitted for approval from the government and Buckingham Palace.

Once the design was ready, the Mint could begin the engraving and tooling process – producing dies to strike the coins.

Only 500 available for Change Checkers

Click here to secure your Canada King Charles III 50 cent Coin Roll >>

King Charles III celebrates 75th Birthday with UK £5

2023 has been quite the year for King Charles III. As well as being crowned King on 6th May, His Majesty celebrates his 75th birthday on 14th November 2023.

To celebrate his milestone birthday, The Royal Mint have issued a UK £5 coin featuring a reverse design representing The King’s love of nature.

2023 UK King Charles III 75th Birthday £5 obverse and reverse
2023 UK King Charles III 75th Birthday £5 obverse and reverse

In case you missed it…

You may recognise the King Charles III 75th Birthday £5 from earlier this year, as it was one of 5 commemorative coins issued in the 2023 Annual Coin Set. It’s actually the final coin from the set to be released individually, so now’s the time to secure it if you missed out on the 2023 Annual Set.

2023 Annual Coin Set
2023 Annual Coin Set

A passion for nature

Inspired by King Charles’ passion for nature and conservation, designer Dan Thorne has created a beautiful reverse design on this new UK £5. It includes The King’s royal cypher along with the number 75, all framed within oak leaves and delphiniums. The design was even personally approved by The King himself.

King Charles 75th Birthday £5 in Change Checker card
King Charles 75th Birthday £5 in Change Checker card

It’s not just nature that His Majesty is passionate about, he also has a keen interest in the arts, architecture and supporting disadvantaged young people. In 1976, when he was His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, The King founded The Princes Trust, an organisation committed to improving the life of young people in the UK.

He’s also been an avid campaigner for environmental issues and sustainability, living by the principle that it’s better to work with nature than against it.

A closer look

As well as the main aspects of the design such as the plants, royal cypher and the years 1948-2023, there are a few features on the coin you may not have noticed at first glance.

On closer inspection, we can see a ladybird, 4 bees and a dragonfly hidden within the design – another nod to The King’s love of nature.

Hidden features within the design
Hidden features within the design

New UK Coinage for King Charles III

The King’s love for nature and his passion for conservation is also reflected in the UK’s New Coinage. The 8 brand new coins feature designs themed around British wildlife and conservation, whilst the obverses feature King Charles III and a special privy mark.

New UK Coinage for King Charles III
New UK Coinage for King Charles III

Find out more about the UK’s New Coinage here >>

Secure your 2023 UK King Charles III 75th Birthday £5

Secure your 2023 UK King Charles III 75th Birthday £5 in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for just £13.99 (+£2.99 postage) >>

Upcoming King Charles III Coins! What we know so far…

The collecting community has been abuzz with excitement for new King Charles III coins, especially since the UK’s new circulating coinage set was released in October 2023.

And so I’m delighted to give you all the updates we know so far about future King Charles III commemorative coins to look forward to.

Read on to find out what’s on the horizon from the UK’s latest Royal Proclamations and get ready to add these upcoming coins to your collecting wish list!


Upcoming 50p Releases

Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins is arguably one of the most loved characters in British literature, and we’ll soon see her celebrated on a UK coin.

Mary Poppins
Image Credit: Disney trailer screenshot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The 50p will feature a depiction of the character Mary Poppins with an umbrella and carpet bag accompanied by the inscription “MARY POPPINS”.

Second World War

Some of the most popular UK coins have been those linked to a military anniversaries such as D-Day, the Battle of Britain and the first and second World Wars. We can expect to see a new military themed coin, this one commemorating stories of the Second World War.

The 1994 D-Day 50p was voted Change Checkers’ all-time favourite 50p

The coin will feature a depiction of three military medals accompanied by the inscription “STORIES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR”.

Red Arrows

Formally known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows are one of the world’s top aerobatic display teams.

Renowned for their speed, agility and trademark Diamond Nine shape formation, the team have been displaying since 1965 and will soon feature for the first time on a UK 50p coin.

By Photo: Cpl Andy Benson/MOD, OGL v1.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26922143

The upcoming 50p is set to feature a depiction of three Red Arrow aircraft with their signature smoke trails, with the inscription “RED ARROWS”.

This is certainly a release collectors and Red Arrow fans alike will be looking forward to!


Upcoming £5 Releases

Paul McCartney

The next coin in The Royal Mint’s Music Legends series will feature none other than The Beatles icon, Paul McCartney.

Sir Paul McCartney
Image Credit: Oli Gill, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The £5 coin will feature a depiction of a guitar head and piano keys with Paul McCartney’s signature and the inscription “MCCARTNEY”.

Queen Mother

in 2025, The Royal Mint will be issuing a £5 coin celebrating the life of The Queen Mother, 125 years after her birth.

The Queen Mother
Image Credit: Helmholtz19 via Wikimedia Commons

The reverse design of the coin will feature a depiction of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, the garter star and Queen Elizabeth’s cypher, surrounded by a Scottish Thistle and an English Rose, accompanied by the inscription “QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER”.

Greyhound of Richmond

We can expect to see a new Royal Tudor Beasts £5 coin, the 8th in the series. The series celebrates the ten heraldic beasts that stand guard on the Moat Bridge of Hampton Court Palace, representing the royal lineage of King Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. 

The latest addition to the series will feature the White Greyhound of Richmond, which was inherited by Queen Elizabeth I from Henry IV through his father, the Earl of Richmond.

The Greyhound of Richmond
Image Credit: Man vyi, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We know that the coin will feature a depiction of the Greyhound of Richmond accompanied by the inscription “· GREYHOUND OF RICHMOND ·”.


Upcoming £2 Releases

HMS Belfast £2

It was recently announced that a new UK £2 coin will be issued celebrating the former Royal Navy ship – HMS Belfast! Here’s what we know so far…

The coin will feature a depiction of HMS Belfast accompanied by the inscription “HMS BELFAST”. There will be an edge inscription “· PRO · TANTO · QVID · RETRIBVAMVS”.

HMS Belfast
Image Credit: George Rex from London, England, via Wikimedia Commons

This will be only the second £2 coin to be individually issued in 2024, as the Winston Churchill £2 in the 2024 Annual Coin Set was not individually released.

You can sign up for updates about this upcoming coin to be the first to know when you can get your hands on it.

George Orwell

Looking ahead into 2025, we know of three more £2 coins due to be released next year, the first of which will celebrate the life and work of British novelist and poet, George Orwell. The Royal Proclamation from October 2024 states that the coin will feature:

  • A depiction of an eye in reference to big brother from the novel 1984 accompanied by the inscriptions “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” and “GEORGE ORWELL”. The coins shall have a grained edge and in incuse letters the inscription “· THERE WAS TRUTH AND THERE WAS UNTRUTH”.
George Orwell
Image Credit: Branch of the National Union of Journalists (BNUJ)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

First Passenger Steam Journey

The second £2 coin we know about will commemorate the first passenger steam train journey on Locomotion No. 1. Here’s what we know about what it’ll feature according to the latest Royal Proclamation:

  • A depiction of a steam train with passengers accompanied by the inscriptions “THE JOURNEY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD” and “1825-2025”. The coins shall have a plain or milled edge and in incuse letters the inscription “· ACTIVE · LOCOMOTION NO 1”.
Locomotion No. 1
Image from “Locomotives of the Stockton and Darlington Railway”. The Engineer: 218, via Wikimedia Commons

Royal Observatory Greenwich

The final 2025 £2 coin that’s been announced will celebrate 350 years of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. The proclamation said the coin will feature:

  • A depiction of a globe symbolising travel, the Shepherd’s Gate Clock and the constellation Ursa Minor accompanied by the inscriptions “· THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY · GREENWICH ·” and “1675 2025”. The coins shall have a plain or milled edge and in incuse letters the inscription “· PERFECTING THE ART OF NAVIGATION”.’
The Royal Greenwich Observatory
Image Credit: Josh268950, via Wikimedia Commons

Never miss a future UK coin issue!

With such exciting releases on the horizon, you really won’t want to miss out on these incredible new coins.

So why not take away the worry and guarantee yourself every new UK coin issue, without the hassle of placing orders on launch day?

Join the Change Checker UK CERTIFIED BU Subscription Service and be one of the first to receive new UK coins as soon as they are released!

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