People will begin to spot the coins in their change from the end of the year, as the Royal Mint releases them on behalf of the Treasury.Īnne Jessopp, head of The Royal Mint said: “This is a rare and historic moment as the complete set of UK coins change to celebrate a new monarch on the throne. Images of Britannia, the helmeted female warrior who represents the nation, a staple on coins between 16, have not returned.

The coins have not been redesigned in their entirety since 2008, when a 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, and 50p could be placed together in the image of a shield. Marking a significant shift from the coins featuring the late Queen Elizabeth II, there is very little heraldic imagery - depictions of Britannia alongside shields and Royal family crests - on the new coinage. Supporting more life than any other native tree species in the UK, the oak tree has a long association with monarchies, as ancient kings of Britain and Roman Emperors wore crowns of oak leaves.įound in a small part of Scotland, the capercaillie is the world’s largest grouse and features on the reverse of the UK 10p coin.Īfter becoming extinct once before, in the mid-18th century, the species is now at risk of becoming extinct for the second time.The King is said to have had a personal hand in the design of the new coin collections and to be pleased with the final results. The UK 5p coin displays a leaf taken from an oak tree, signifying its role as a rich habitat for biodiversity in woodland areas. With the bulk of its UK population found in areas of Scotland, the red squirrel can also be found in Northern Ireland, the Isle of Wight, Brownsea Island, Anglesey, Cumbria, Kielder Forest and Formby.Ĭonservation efforts are in place to manage the population in the UK to avoid it becoming extinct. The red squirrel’s distinctive colouring blends perfectly with the reddish hue of the UK 2p coin.

The royal mint new coins