Obverse. Photo © Royal Mint
  • 50 Pence 2023, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, Coronation of Charles III
  • 50 Pence 2023, United Kingdom (Great Britain), Charles III, Coronation of Charles III
Description

The 2023 Charles III Coronation range from The Royal Mint features £5 coins, a new 50p and a range of troy-ounce coins struck in silver and gold. There's even a special gold Sovereign, due to be struck on the day of His Majesty's coronation. All coins in the range feature the world’s first official crowned coinage portrait of King Charles III, specially created for this occasion.

Obverse

Depicts crowned King Charles III’s effigy adorned with the so-called Tudor Crown, surrounded by the Latin inscription. Engraver's initials on the neck.

The real Tudor Crown was destroyed in the seventeenth century but a stylised representation also known as the King's Crown or Imperial Crown is still used in heraldry, including as part of The King's royal cypher. While various crown symbols had been used for this purpose for many years previously, the specific Tudor Crown design was standardised at the request of Edward VII. It was never intended to represent any actual physical crown, although in shape it bears a close resemblance to the small diamond crown of Queen Victoria.

CHARLES III DEI GRATIA REX FIDEI DEFENSOR means King Charles III, by the Grace of God King, Defender of the Faith.

Engraver: Martin Jennings (MJ)

•CHARLES III•D•G•REX F•D•50 PENCE•2023
MJ

Reverse

Depicts the crowned shield of the Royal Arms, surrounded by the Order of the Garter. The motto HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE appears on a circular belt. This is surrounded by decorative flourishes incorporating the floral emblems representing the four nations of the United Kingdom. England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are represented by the rose, the shamrock, the thistle and the daffodil respectively. The design features the King’s monogram CR III (Charles III Rex) on the left.

The royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, or the Royal Arms for short, is the official coat of arms of the British monarch. The shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the three passant guardant lions of England; in the second, the rampant lion and double tressure flory-counterflory of Scotland; and in the third, a harp (a winged female) for Ireland.

The Order of the Garter (formally the Most Noble Order of the Garter) is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III in 1348 and regarded as the most prestigious British order of chivalry in England and the United Kingdom. The star, which is worn pinned to the left breast, was introduced in the 17th century by King Charles I and is a colourfully enamelled depiction of the heraldic shield of St. George's Cross, encircled by the Garter, which is itself encircled by an eight-point silver badge. Each point is depicted as a cluster of rays, with the four points of the cardinal directions longer than the intermediate ones.

Honi soit qui mal y pense is a French maxim used as the motto of the British chivalric Order of the Garter. It is translated as "May he be shamed who thinks badly of it".

Engraver: John Bergdahl (JB)

CRIII CCC
HONI • SOIT • QUI • MAL • Y • PENSE
JB
• THE CORONATION OF KING CHARLES III 6 MAY 2023 •

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Gold
Fineness 0.9999
Weight 0.8 g
Diameter 8 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Mint

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