In mint condition

COINS REFLECT KING'S PASSION FOR NATURE AND WILDLIFE

If you're more used to carrying a card than a pocketful of change, you might soon prefer to 'flash your cash' when you set eyes on the latest coins going into circulation, featuring some of our stunning nature and wildlife, that have just been released by the Royal Mint.

It's not hard to want to have some of these small, but beautifully engraved plant and animal illustrations at your fingertips although probably harder to give away, especially in this current economic climate! Available to be purchased as commemorative coin sets from 12th October 2023 and expected to enter circulation from the end of 2023, the eight new designs, created with the support of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) reflect King Charles III's passion for conservation and the natural world. The edge inscription of the new £2 coin also chosen by His Majesty reads 'IN SERVITIO OMNIJM' which is Latin from 'In the service of all' which he included in his inaugural speech on 9th September 2022.

Gordon Summers, Chief Engraver at The Royal Mint said, "Flora and Fauna have deep roots in the history of UK coinage, but this is the first time that all eight coins have celebrated nature and wildlife." He also said "It takes a great deal of skill to create art on a canvas as small as a 1p or £1 coin."

Details of the new collection as supplied by The Royal Mint are as follows:

HAZEL DORMOUSE

- SMALL IN STATURE, THE HAZEL DORMOUSE IS A FITTING PRESENCE ON THE UK 1P COIN.

- MOSTLY FOUND IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND IN THE UK, THE HAZEL DORMOUSE POPULATION IN THE UK HAS HALVED SINCE 2007.

- HOWEVER, MORE THAN 1,000 HAVE BEEN REINTRODUCED IN 13 DIFFERENT COUNTIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO REVERSE THE HAZEL DORMOUSE'S ONGOING DECLINE.

RED SQUIRREL

- THE RED SQUIRREL'S DISTINCTIVE COLOURING BLENDS PERFECTLY WITH THE REDDISH HUE OF THE UK 2P COIN.

- WITH 75% OF ITS UK POPULATION FOUND IN AREAS OF SCOTLAND, THE RED SQUIRREL CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN NORTHERN IRELAND, THE ISLE OF WIGHT, BROWNSEA ISLAND, ANGLESEY, CUMBRIA, KIELDER FOREST AND FORMBY.

- CONSERVATION EFFORTS ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE TO MANAGE THE POPULATION IN THE UK TO AVOID IT BECOMING EXTINCT.

OAK TREE LEAF

- THE UK 5P COIN DISPLAYS A LEAF TAKEN FROM AN OAK TREE, SIGNIFYING ITS ROLE AS A RICH HABITAT FOR BIODIVERSITY IN BRITISH WOODLAND AREAS.

- SUPPORTING MORE LIFE THAN ANY OTHER NATIVE TREE SPECIES IN THE UK, THE OAK TREE HAS A LONG ASSOCIATION WITH MONARCHIES, AS ANCIENT KINGS OF BRITAIN AND ROMAN EMPERORS WORE CROWNS OF OAK LEAVES.

CAPERCAILLIE

- FOUND IN A SMALL PART OF SCOTLAND, THE CAPERCAILLIE IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST GROUSE AND FEATURES ON THE REVERSE OF THE UK 10P COIN.

- AFTER BECOMING EXTINCT ONCE BEFORE, IN THE MID-EIGHTEENTH CENTURY, THE SPECIES IS NOW AT RISK OF BECOMING EXTINCT FOR THE SECOND TIME.

PUFFIN

- THE UNMISTAKABLE SEABIRD FEATURES ON THE REVERSE OF THE NEW DEFINITIVE UK 20P COIN.

- STRIKING IN THEIR APPEARANCE, AROUND 10% OF THE WORLDWIDE PUFFIN POPULATION BREEDS ALONG THE UK'S COASTLINE.

- CLASSED AS A RED LIST SPECIES, THE POPULATION IS PREDICTED TO SEVERELY REGRESS OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS BUT THERE IS HOPE FOR THE PUFFIN IF ACTION IS TAKEN TO PROTECT THEIR NESTING SITES AND FOOD SUPPLY.

ATLANTIC SALMON

- A PRIORITY CONSERVATION SPECIES, THE ATLANTIC SALMON FEATURES ON THE UK 50P COIN.

- WILD POPULATIONS ARE LOW DUE TO FACTORS LIKE RIVER POLLUTION, HABITAT LOSS, RIVER HEATING AND OVERFISHING.

- THEY CAN BE FOUND IN CLEAN RIVERS IN SCOTLAND AND WALES ALONG WITH THOSE IN NORTH AND SOUTH WEST ENGLAND.

BEES

- THE £1 FEATURES A DEPICTION OF A BEE, SYMBOLISING THE 250+ SPECIES WHICH EXIST IN BRITAIN.

- BUMBLEBEES, MASON BEES, MINING BEES AND MORE - THESE INDUSTRIOUS INSECTS PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN POLLINATING MANY PLANTS AND FRUITING TREES.

- THEY CAN BE FOUND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, COMMONLY IN GARDENS, PARKS, WOODS, ORCHARDS AND MEADOWS, AND NOW ON THE REVERSE OF THE UK £1 COIN.

NATIONAL FLOWERS

- THE UK £2 FEATURES FLORA THAT SYMBOLISE THE FOUR NATIONS OF THE COUNTRY - A ROSE FOR ENGLAND, A DAFFODIL FOR WALES, A THISTLE FOR SCOTLAND AND A SHAMROCK FOR NORTHERN IRELAND.

- INSPIRED BY THE KING'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS ON 9 SEPTEMBER 2022 AND PERSONALLY APPROVED BY HIS MAJESTY, THE EDGE INSCRIPTION READS 'IN SERVITIO OMNIUM', WHICH IS LATIN FOR 'IN THE SERVICE OF ALL'.

It is hoped that the designs in this new complete set of UK coins to celebrate our new monarch on the throne, will allow everyone to celebrate British nature and spark a healthy interest in conservation.

Photos: The Royal Mint