A newly minted 10p coin featuring a portrait of King Charles and a capercaillie, a Scottish bird under threat of extinction, has entered circulation. The Royal Mint has distributed 600,000 coins dated 2023 and 6.5 million dated 2026 to banks and post offices nationwide.
First new 10p coins in four years
Due to sufficient demand, newly minted 10p pieces are entering circulation for the first time in around four years. The reverse side of the coin depicts a capercaillie, a type of grouse currently under threat of extinction. The birds are only found in Scotland's Caledonian pine forests, with over 80 per cent of the population found in the Cairngorms National Park.
The redesigned collection of coins, celebrating the King's passion for the natural world, was unveiled by The Royal Mint in October 2023. The tails side of every newly minted coin, from the 1p to the £2, now showcases the nation's flora and fauna, ranging from bees to an oak tree leaf.
Limited King Charles coins in circulation
Until now, coins featuring the portrait of King Charles in circulation have been limited to the 5p, 50p and £1. Existing coins bearing the image of the late Queen Elizabeth II remain legal tender, meaning new coins are only produced in response to demand.
With 1.4 billion 10p coins already in circulation, The Royal Mint had no pressing need to release the new 10p until now. Despite their introduction, King Charles coins still account for merely 1 per cent of the 24.1 billion coins currently in circulation throughout the UK. This makes newly minted versions particularly desirable among experienced numismatists and budding coin enthusiasts alike.
Artwork and conservation message
The capercaillie on the coin is inspired by artwork created by Mike Langman, an artist who formerly worked with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). According to the RSPB, the UK capercaillie population has experienced such a dramatic decline that the species faces extinction for the second time and appears on the UK conservation red list.
Rebecca Morgan, director at The Royal Mint, said: "It's a stark reminder that more of these coins will enter circulation than there are capercaillies left in the wild. 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."
