King Charles III Is the New Face of U.K. Money

Since the 17th century, monarchs have been represented on coins facing in the opposite direction of their immediate predecessor, so King Charles faces left, while his mother faced right.

The notes do not seem to be subjected to the same tradition, as the sovereigns are portrayed from the front.

In recent years, Britain has paid tribute to some of its prestigious national figures by introducing currency featuring former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the novelist Jane Austen, the painter J.M.W. Turner and the mathematician Alan Turing.

The Royal Mint, the official maker of British coins, also announced the creation of £5 and 50-pence coins bearing the king’s effigy, created by the sculptor Martin Jennings. They will not replace Queen Elizabeth’s coins, in order to “minimize the environmental and financial impact of the change of monarch,” the Royal Mint said.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/19/world/europe/king-charles-money-uk.html