Royal Canadian Mint to begin circulation of coins with image of King Charles

WINNIPEG — The first Canadian coins bearing the face of King Charles are soon to be circulated across the country. 

The Royal Canadian Mint in Winnipeg is set Tuesday to showcase its model of the King that will appear on one side of all Canadian coins.

The monarch’s effigy is also to be pressed onto a loonie for the first time.

The mint said a small amount of 2023-dated coins with the King are to circulate in early December. Coin exchanges are set to take place later in the monthat the mint’s Ottawa and Winnipeg boutiques.

The image features work by Canadian portrait artist Steven Rosati, who has designed other coins for the mint, including six silver National Hockey League goalie coins and a 100th anniversary commemorative loonie in honour of the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

The mint’s website says it invited more than 350 artists and engravers to submit a portfolio to its review panel.

Shortlisted artists were provided mandatory design requirements and their work was judged on esthetics, technical requirements and mass-production suitability. Part of the design is a profile of the left side of the King’s face, which is opposite of the portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II. 

The winning design was sent to Buckingham Palace for approval. 

The mint said it has used Canadian artists to design its royal images since 1990, as a way to showcase their talent.

Earlier this year, the federal government directed the mint and the Bank of Canada to replace the image of the queen with one of the King on its coins and on the $20 bill.

The mint previously released pure gold and silver collector coins to mark the King’s coronation. 

The King ascended to the throne in September 2022, following the death of his 96-year-old mother, who reigned for 70 years. He celebrated the beginning of his reign with a glitzy coronation that was attended by world leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 

Other Commonwealth countries have also moved to replace images of the queen.

In Australia, the gold dollar coin is set to be the first in the country to have an image of the King. The country expects about 10 million of the dollar coins will be circulating by Christmas. 

All Canadian coins still in circulation with the queen are considered legal tender.

— With files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2023. 

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press