British currency is the oldest currency still in use in the world and one of the most respected ones. The Royal Mint's 2023 collection presents a complete set of metallic coins of the island kingdom. It features Charles III for the first time.

What is the role of coins? They are, of course, a means of exchange, but they have also served as a symbol of power since ever. History offers countless examples - as soon as a new monarch came to the throne, he had produced new currency to enhance his rule. Every glance at the coin reminded the subjects of whom they served, and every stranger suddenly understood whose country he or she was visiting... A lot of time has passed since the days of self-righteous sovereigns, but portraits still appear on modern coins. It adds prestige and credibility when a coin is adorned with the familiar face of a head of state.  For many decades, British coins bore the portrait of Elizabeth II, but the Queen died in 2022. The pounds have borne a portrait of her son and successor, King Charles III. since 2023.

The coins in the currency set present the fauna and flora of different parts of the United Kingdom, reflecting Charles III's personal interest in nature conservation. The individual reverses carry the hazel dormouse (1p), squirrel (2p), oak (5p), grouse (10p), puffin (20p), salmon (50p), bees (£1) and rose, narcissus, thistle and clover (£2). The final four plants symbolise the four countries of the island kingdom - England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The King, who personally supervised the preparation of the coins, then appears on all the obverse sides. The portrait in profile is surrounded by the text CHARLES III DEI GRA REX FID DEF (Charles III, King by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith). Moreover, the design of the coins was influenced by a British tradition whose roots date back to the 17th century. This tradition states that the profiles of the monarchs alternate - as the Queen looks to the right, her son looks to the left on the coins. All the coins then bear a special mint mark in the form of a Tudor crown.

The coins, which are placed in a common packaging full of curiosities (in English), have been minted in quality “brilliant“- they have never been in circulation, which could damage them, and their relief is more detailed than that of conventional currency.