The Royal Mint has confirmed that more than 30 million new £1 coins will enter circulation across the UK from today, marking the final release of coins featuring Queen Elizabeth II and the latest addition of King Charles III designs.
In total, 30.855 million coins are being introduced. This includes 23.29 million bearing the effigy of Her Late Majesty and 7.565 million with the portrait of King Charles, among them 170,000 dated 2025.
The release represents the last time £1 coins featuring Queen Elizabeth II will be put into circulation.
The Royal Mint described the move as a historic milestone in British coinage, reflecting the transition from the nation’s longest-reigning monarch to her successor.
Last Queen Elizabeth £1 coins enter circulation as King Charles era begins
|ROYAL MINT / GETTY
It also revealed that the final Queen Elizabeth II pound coins, dated 2022, are now the rarest £1 coins in active circulation.
Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint, said: "This release represents a pivotal moment in British coinage history.
"As we release more of the King Charles III £1 coins into circulation alongside the final coins of Queen Elizabeth II, we're witnessing the physical representation of our monarchy's transition.
“This dual release creates an exceptional opportunity for both seasoned numismatists and those new to coin collecting. Coin collecting offers a fascinating window into our nation's history and culture.
The King Charles £1 coin seen as it enters circulation
|ROYAL MINT
"Finding these new coins in your change could spark a rewarding hobby that connects you with the heritage, history and craftsmanship behind British currency."
The new King Charles £1 coins feature a bee design on the reverse, part of a wider series of eight definitive designs introduced in 2023 across denominations from 1p to £2.
Other animals depicted include the Hazel Dormouse, Puffin and Atlantic Salmon, species associated with UK conservation programmes.
Since the introduction of His Majesty’s portrait in 2023, only the 50p and £1 denominations have entered circulation with the new effigy.
The back of the King Charles £1 coin features two bees
|ROYAL MINT
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The new £1 coins featuring King Charles have been released
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To date, 2.975 million £1 coins featuring King Charles have been released, though smaller circulation numbers have fuelled demand for commemorative editions.
The Royal Mint’s definitive set, which includes all of the new designs, has already proved popular among collectors.
Currently, around 24.7 billion coins are in circulation across the UK. King Charles III coins represent just 0.004 per cent of that total, a figure expected to rise steadily as more are issued and older coins are gradually withdrawn.
The Royal Mint confirmed that all coins bearing the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II will remain legal tender and continue to circulate, with coins featuring different monarchs expected to co-circulate for years to come.