The Royal Mint has revealed some of the rarest coins to enter circulation during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, who died last September following an unprecedented 70-year reign.
Last year marked a new era for British coinage as the last coins bearing Queen Elizabeth II were struck and the first coins featuring King Charles III entered circulation. Mark Loveridge, the Royal Mint’s director of U.K. currency, called it “one of the biggest changes in coinage since decimalization.”
“The coinage of Queen Elizabeth II spanned 70 years, and special designs issued into circulation celebrated some of the biggest events in history. Although the 2022 mintage figures mark the last time that Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait will appear on new coins, over 27 billion of her coins will remain in circulation,” said Loveridge.
“Coin collecting remains a popular hobby in the U.K., and the coins of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign are particularly coveted. By sharing the list of rare designs, we hope people will look closely at their coins; if they’re lucky, they might find a piece of history.”
To view the full list, which published the Royal Mint’s 2022 mintages for the first time, visit royalmint.com/currency/uk-currency/mintages.