Atlantic salmon are to feature prominently as part of an entirely new set of UK coins about to enter circulation in the UK.
Following the coronation of Charles III in May earlier this year, the United Kingdom is set to introduce the first new set of coins bearing the likeness of the new monarch.
For the first time. the tails side of every coin from the 1p to the £2 will feature the country’s flora and fauna, reflecting the King’s passion for conservation.
Among the designs gracing the tails side of the coins, the 50p piece (the largest of the set) will showcase the Atlantic salmon, highlighting concerns surrounding river pollution and their habitat loss.
The coins follow centuries of tradition with the monarch now facing left – the opposite way to his predecessor. Profiles are alternated between left and right for successive monarchs. As with previous British kings, and unlike the Queen, he wears no crown.
“We know a large proportion of the country are still heavily reliant on cash,” said Rebecca Morgan, director at the Mint. “It is also tradition to mark the moment of a monarch coming to the throne with a new set of coinage, so it is important that we carry on that tradition.”
