Long Live the King: King Charles III's Effigy to Appear on Australian Coins in Historic Currency Change
The Royal Australian Mint has announced that King Charles III's effigy will replace Queen Elizabeth II's on Australian coins, starting with the gold Australian dollar. Approximately 10 million coins are expected to be in circulation by Christmas. The transition was carefully planned following the Queen's passing. The design, officially approved by the royal family, will not feature a crown and aligns with the demand from banks. However, the 15.5 billion coins with Queen Elizabeth II's image since 1966 will remain legal tender. This marks a historic shift while maintaining Australia's ties to the British monarchy.
More than a year after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III's effigy is set to grace Australian coins. The Royal Australian Mint recently announced the introduction of the new British monarch's image, heralding a significant change in Australian currency. The first coin to feature King Charles III will be the gold Australian dollar, with approximately 10 million coins expected to be in circulation by Christmas.
Australia's new $1 coin featuring His Majesty King Charles III was announced this morning by the @RoyalAustMint.
— Australian Government (@ausgov) October 5, 2023
The effigy was designed by Dan Thorne from The Royal Mint in the UK and was approved by His Majesty King Charles III.
Find out more here: https://t.co/Yy7LdMed4D pic.twitter.com/wDq2QSHTZr
According to an AP report, the Assistant Minister for Treasury, Andrew Leigh, explained that the transition was carefully planned and not rushed following Queen Elizabeth II's passing in September the previous year. He stated, "Certainly, we're keen to get as many of the new coins with the king's face on them out there as quickly as possible." This transformation will extend to various denominations, including 5, 10, 20, and 50 cent coins, along with a $2 coin. These coins will bear the king's left profile and will not feature a crown. This change aligns with the demand from banks and maintains the tradition of depicting the reigning monarch's right profile. King Charles III's image, which was officially designed by The Royal Mint in London and bears royal approval, is part of the Commonwealth Effigy available for use by all British Commonwealth countries. While this marks a significant change, it's important to note that the 15.5 billion Australian coins carrying Queen Elizabeth II's image, minted since the introduction of decimal currency in 1966, will remain legal tender. Queen Elizabeth II has been a fixture on Australian money since 1953. The Australian government faced some criticism earlier this year when it replaced the queen's image on the $5 note with an Indigenous design, rather than featuring the image of the king. The $5 bill was the last Australian banknote to display the monarch's image. Critics viewed this move as part of a potential shift away from the British monarch as Australia's head of state in favor of an Australian president. However, Andrew Leigh clarified that there is no plan to remove the monarch from Australian coins, ensuring that the tradition and continuity in the country's currency are maintained. This transition represents a historic shift while upholding Australia's historical ties to the British monarchy.
