More than seven million 10p coins bearing King Charles III's portrait are entering circulation for the first time and will start appearing in people's pockets and wallets soon.
The Royal Mint said that 600,000 2023-dated and 6.5 million 2026-dated 10p coins featuring the head of the royal family will enter circulation across the UK this week. This is the first time that 10p coins bearing the King's portrait will be used as legal tender.
Release details and design
Appearing from Tuesday (August 25), the coins are being released due to increased demand for the 10p denomination, a spokesperson for the Mint said.
The 10ps are the fourth denomination bearing Charles's portrait to enter circulation, following on from the 5p, 50p and £1 coins which have entered circulation since 2022.
UK coins bearing the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II remain legal tender and in active circulation, with the aim of ensuring a smooth transition with minimal environmental impact and cost. With Charles coins representing just 1% of the 24.142 billion coins in circulation across the UK, the new 10p coins will be highly sought after, the Mint said.
Capercaillie design and availability
The new 10p coins also feature the capercaillie bird on the reverse or "tails" side. The design is part of a collection inspired by the flora and fauna of the British Isles, reflecting the King's passion for conservation.
The coins will be available through post offices and bank branches.
Rebecca Morgan, director at the Royal Mint, said: "This is a landmark moment for the nation's coinage, as people begin finding the very first 10p coins bearing the King's portrait in their change."
She said of the capercaillie bird appearing on coins: "We hope that by putting this extraordinary bird into millions of pockets and purses, we can spark a nationwide conversation about a species at real risk of vanishing from Britain forever."
Some 10p coins will also be available at tills in the Royal Mint Experience, the Royal Mint's visitor attraction based in South Wales.
Cash use trends
A recent report from banking and finance industry body UK Finance found that a significant number of people still rely on cash. It said around 1.4 million UK adults mainly use cash for their day-to-day spending, but 19 million use cash once a month or less frequently, reflecting a wide variation in people's payment preferences.
Cash use fell to 3.9 billion payments in 2025, down from 4.3 billion the previous year, UK Finance said. The report said that cash represented 8% of payments in 2025, falling from 9% in 2024 and 45% in 2015.
By 2035, cash use is expected to account for just 4% of payments made in the UK, with around two billion transactions, according to UK Finance.
