The King oversaw the design of the latest Royal Mint coins, which feature fauna and flora patterns and will reportedly help children learn to count.
ADVERTISEMENTThe eight coins, ranging from 1p to £2, each depict a different natural element, from hazel dormice to bees and national flowers.
The UK’s official coin makers, the Royal Mint, said the new coins will progressively replace the current shield formation introduced in 2008 under Queen Elizabeth II. The old coins can still be used in the meantime.
The new coins also feature floral patterns, representing emblems of the country’s four nations: a rose for England, a thistle for Scotland, a leek for Wales, and a shamrock for Northern Ireland.
The £2 will combine those emblems, with Wales’ leek having since been replaced by a daffodil.
The King has personally approved the eight designs, which reflect his passion for conservation and the natural world.
“The Royal Mint has struck Britain’s coins for 1,100 years and this collection will proudly take its place amongst the designs of monarchs ranging from Alfred the Great to Elizabeth II,” Anne Jessopp, The Royal Mint’s CEO, said in a statement on Thursday.
Helping children count
The BBC additionally reported that the coins’ designs are meant to be easily readable by children.
The black numbers stand out from the coin’s gold and silver background, contrary to the currently circulating ones.
"The large numbers will be very appealing to children who are learning to count and about the use of money,” Rebecca Morgan, director at the Mint, reportedly told the BBC.
"Also the animals and everything you see on these coins will appeal to children. They are great conversation starters," she added.
The new coins are expected to enter circulation before the end of the year.
