For the first time ever you might be about to find a pound coin with a king on it in your pocket.

Brand new pound coins are entering circulation this week and as well as being the first of the reign of Charles III, they are also the first pound coins to bear the image of a male Monarch as the pound note was still in use the last time that the United Kingdom had a king, during the reign of George VI (1936 – 1952).

A total of 2,975 million new pound coins, featuring Charles III, are now with Post Offices and banks and will enter circulation immediately,

They show the portrait of The King created by Martin Jennings. The coins also feature a unique repeating pattern made up of three interlocking letters ‘C’ which are inspired by the cypher of King Charles II.

The other side shows an image of bees, part of the designs celebrating the natural world which will decorate these first coins of the reign of King Charles III.

The Royal Mint said the bee design highlighted the major role the insects play in the ecosystem. There are over 250 species of bees in the UK, playing a vital part in pollinating plants and trees.

When the full set of definitive coins was revealed in 2023, a poll showed that the bees on the £1 were the favourite design of the eight that will be released over time. Second was the red squirrel on the 2p coin. However, that won’t hit the tills for a while as it was recently revealed that there are so many of the copper coins currently in circulation that no new stock is currently needed.

King Charles insisted at the start of his reign that new money and stamps bearing his image would only be created when need arose and that existing coins and notes bearing the image of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, remain in use until they had to be recalled because of their condition. It means that currency with the late Queen is still legal tender alongside the new money showing her son and successor, Charles III.

Bank notes bearing the image of King Charles entered circulation earlier in 2024.