King Charles III 50p enters circulation: where can you get hold of one?
The first King Charles III 50p coins will enter circulation today (Thursday 8 December).
Around 4.9m 50p coins will enter circulation throughout December 2022 – an amount that will rise with demand, according to the Royal Mint.
This is the first coin to bear The King’s portrait and will commemorate the life and legacy of the late Queen Elizabeth II on the reverse side.
Here, we explain where you can get one of the new 50ps, and how rare they'll be.
What does the King Charles III 50p look like?
The King’s image was created by British sculptor Martin Jennings. His portrait faces left – the opposite direction to coins featuring Queen Elizabeth II.
The reverse side of the coin features a design that originally appeared for the 1953 Coronation Crown.
The Royal Mint says the design commemorates the late Queen’s coronation at Westminster Abbey.
It includes the four quarters of the Royal Arms depicted within a shield. Between each shield is an emblem of the home nations: a rose, a thistle, a shamrock and a leek.
Where can I get a King Charles III 50p?
The coins will be available at 9,452 Post Office branches up and down the country.
The Royal Mint said the coins will be distributed as change when customers make a purchase in store.
Nick Read, CEO of the Post Office, said that because December is its busiest time of year, the coins will enter its network in a phased way.
He said: ‘If you don’t receive the new 50p in your change on your first visit to a Post Office, you may well get it in your change in a subsequent visit, so keep a look out for it.'
A commemorative version of the coin was released in October, available on the The Royal Mint’s website.
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How rare is the King Charles 50p?
While 4.9m King Charles 50p coins enter circulation from today, this number will rise to 9.6m ‘in line with demand’, according to the Royal Mint.
They won't be as rare as the Platinum Jubilee 50p coins, which only had 1.3m initially released.
However, it's worth pointing out that the Royal Mint has said it might create more Platinum Jubilee 50p coins over the course of the year. The Mint has set a maximum mintage at 5,000,070 - the final 70 as a nod to the late Queen's 70-year reign.
The Royal Mint said it hoped the King Charles coin would ‘inspire a new generation of collectors’.
The table below compares the new King Charles 50p to the rarest 50p coins already in circulation. The Queen's Platinum Jubilee coin features twice, indicating the initial number of coins entered into circulation (the minimum), and the maximum number of coins the Royal Mint may or may not choose to release.
| 50p | Mintage |
|---|---|
| Kew Gardens (2009) | 210,000 |
| Football (2011) | 1,125,500 |
| Wrestling (2011) | 1,129,500 |
| Judo (2011) | 1,161,500 |
| Triathlon (2011) | 1,163,500 |
| Queen's Platinum Jubilee (2021) - MINIMUM | 1,300,000 |
| Flopsy Bunny (2018) | 1,400,000 |
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When will coins featuring Queen Elizabeth II be replaced?
There are 27bn coins in circulation in the UK featuring Queen Elizabeth II, and they all remain legal tender.
The Royal Mint says these will be ‘replaced over time’, as they become damaged or worn and to meet demand for new coins.
Historically, it’s been common for coins featuring the portrait of different monarchs to co-circulate, to ensure a ‘smooth transition, with minimal environmental impact and cost’.
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