Chances are, you’ve never had a 50c coin with the King’s face in your pocket. Well, all that’s about to change, because starting next week, King Charles III’s’ effigy will be printed on all six circulating coins in Australia. This is a pretty major moment for coin collectors, as it marks the very first time in almost six decades – and the first time in the Royal Australian Mint’s history – that a new monarch will appear on our nation’s full suite of coins. On top of that, it marks the first time in 70 years that Australia’s coins will feature the face of a King, following Queen Elizabeth’s reign from 1952 to 2022.
It’s worth checking your spare change because there might already be a King’s coin hiding in your wallet. Back in late 2023, the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra began rolling out King Charles’ effigy on the $1 coin, followed by the 5c piece and $2 coin. However, Tuesday, May 21, marks the first time that King Charles’ effigy will be available on all six circulating coins, including the 10c, 20c and 50c pieces.
Royal Australian Mint chief executive Leigh Gordon said, “It has been an involved process ... we had to get an approved effigy from Buckingham Palace, via the Royal Mint, and then we had to make sure that worked on our coins, because the metal we use in Australian coins is different to some of the overseas mints.”
If you’re not up for returning to old-school cash payments, then you can buy the full King Charles III six-coin proof year set ($150) from May 21. The highly-anticipated coin set will be of the absolute highest quality possible, with coins minted from high-grade metal and pressed four times under 110 tonnes of pressure – far superior to your standard circulation coins made from aluminium bronze and copper metal blanks. A standard King Charles III 2024 six-coin uncirculated year set ($40) will also be available for coin collectors starting next Tuesday.
While the Royal Mint gears up for the royal coin release, they’ve sent a shiny parcel to Buckingham Palace. Inside is the first proof base metal set of all six new Australian standard coins, which will be a heartfelt gift for King Charles.
Curious about what to do with your old cash? Don’t worry, those coins featuring the Queen will still do the trick and are expected to stay in circulation for many years to come.
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