Coins and Canada - King Charles III on Canadian coins

You are: Home » Canadian coins » Articles » King Charles III on Canadian coins

King Charles III on Canadian coins

By thecanadiannumismatist | Monday, 8 May 2023

King Charles III on Canadian coins

King Charles III was officially crowned in a coronation ceremony on May 7. This is the first coronation to take place in 70 years, since that of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

During the coronation events, the federal government announced that image of King Charles will eventually replace the queen on Canada's coins.

Existing coins and $20 notes bearing the late Queen Elizabeth II's portrait will remain legal tender. Canadians will be able to see the design of the new effigy for circulation coins in the coming months.

The design of the King's effigy has not yet been finalized. Designs are expected to be shared with the public this fall. The Mint confirmed that the King will be facing left on the coins.

In advance of his May 6 coronation, King Charles III has approved a pair of medallion designs for collectors. These kind of medallions and medals have been used to commemorate the coronation of new monarchs for over five centuries.

In 1953, a medal celebrating the Elizabeth II coronation was created. The low relief variety was distributed in schools across Canada and the high relief variety was given to dignitaries.

Following today's announcement by the Government of Canada that the Monarch's portrait will continue to grace the obverse of Canadian coins, we are pleased to confirm that we have initiated the design process for the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III.

New obverse process

An email invitation will be sent to more than 350 artists as well as to Mint engravers;
Each artist and engraver who responds with a notice of interest and a required portfolio of portrait work will be evaluated. Each shortlisted artist and engraver will receive an artist brief outlining mandatory design requirements;
Design concepts will be evaluated by an internal Mint review panel that will judge submissions based on aesthetics, technical requirements and mass-production suitability;
The winning design will be submitted for necessary government and Buckingham Palace approvals;
The Mint will then begin the engraving and tooling process where dies are created to strike the coins;
Production, or striking, of new circulation coins will begin.

We hope to be in a position to show Canadians the new effigy design in the fall, once the design process had been completed and the necessary approvals obtained. All coins currently in circulation remain legal tender.