New King Charles 10p coin starts appearing in UK change as demand returns
Shoppers in Britain may start spotting a fresh 10p coin in their change, after the Royal Mint began sending newly struck pieces into circulation for
Shoppers in Britain may start spotting a fresh 10p coin in their change, after the Royal Mint began sending newly struck pieces into circulation for the first time in about four years. The coin carries a portrait of King Charles on one side and the capercaillie — the world’s largest grouse — on the other.
The mint said the coins are appearing across the country as demand picks up. They were minted and dated in 2023 and 2026. For many people, it will be a small surprise in the till. For collectors, a new design to hunt for.
A rare new face for the 10p
Britain has already seen King Charles designs on the 5p, 50p and £1 coins, but the 10p had not entered circulation with his portrait until now. Old coins showing Queen Elizabeth II remain legal tender, so the Royal Mint strikes new coins only when there is demand. With about 1.4 billion 10p coins already in circulation, there has been no pressing need until now.
That matters for a very practical reason: cash users will not suddenly find the old stock replaced. The new pieces will simply mix into everyday use, one transaction at a time. Some will pass through tills unnoticed. Others will be kept aside.
Nature on the tail side
The redesigned coin follows a wider series unveiled by the Royal Mint in October 2023, celebrating the King’s interest in the natural world. The tails side of every newly minted coin from 1p to £2 now features British flora and fauna, from bees to an oak tree leaf.
The capercaillie design gives the 10p a distinctly Scottish link. The bird is found in a small part of Scotland and is threatened with extinction. It is a fitting choice for a coin meant to reflect wildlife, but it also carries a quiet warning about how fragile some habitats have become.
That is part of the appeal here. This is not just a new portrait on pocket change. It is a small piece of public design, moving through shops, buses and market stalls, carrying the monarchy’s latest coinage and a species few Britons will ever see in the wild. The Royal Mint says shoppers and collectors should come across the coins nationwide.
