The Royal Mint, official maker of UK coins, has unveiled the seventh coin in its British Monarchs Collection, featuring a remastered portrait of Charles II, based on the original coinage portrait designed by John Roettier and produced over 350 years ago.
This is the seventh coin in The British Monarchs Collection and is the latest release in a series of coins which celebrates the House of Stuart.
The Royal Mint’s talented design team have combined their exceptional craftsmanship skills with innovative technology to faithfully remaster Charles II’s original portrait. In the making of the original Charles II coin, the process of coin manufacture is mechanised, replacing the old method of hand striking. The reverse design of the coin is based on a five-guinea piece from 1668. A portrait of His Majesty King Charles III features on the obverse, uniting royalty past and present.
Rebecca Morgan, Director of Collector Services at The Royal Mint said:
“We are delighted to add Charles II to the popular British Monarchs Collection. The design team at The Royal Mint has worked to faithfully recreate Charles II’s original portrait with great attention to detail, using state-of the-art technology and numismatic processes. There has been significant international appeal with The British Monarchs Collection, with its coins being bought by collectors all over the world. We have seen a particularly large uptake in the USA.”
Charles II’s accession to the throne took place in 1660, over 11 years after the execution of his father, Charles I. Nicknamed the ‘Merry Monarch’, Charles II was one of the most popular monarchs to reign in Great Britain.
Newly crowned, Charles II invited John Roettier to England from Flanders and he was asked to submit designs and trial pieces for the King’s coinage. Following his success, Roettier became the main engraver at The Royal Mint during the reign of Charles II. Alongside designing the new coinage for Charles II, it was also Roettier’s responsibility to make medals and Great Seals. He remained at The Royal Mint for the majority of his life and was buried in the Tower of London following his death in 1703.
The Royal Mint’s British Monarchs Collection spans four Royal Houses – Tudor, Stuart, Hanover, and Windsor (formerly known as Saxe-Coburg, Gotha) – remastering iconic designs in high definition for the first time thanks to the latest technology and minting techniques.
For more information about the Charles II coin, please visit British Monarchs House of Stuart | The Royal Mint. For more information about The British Monarchs Collection, please visit British Monarchs | The Royal Mint.
