The set that brings royal history and British coin history together in one definitive collector’s set

On the 14th of November in 1948, Buckingham Palace issued an official communication; it was the news that the nation had been eagerly anticipating. As the clock neared midnight, the BBC Home Service delivered the long-awaited announcement, and a proclamation was posted on the Palace railings. Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth, 22 years old at the time, had safely delivered a son at 9:14 pm earlier that evening. He was named Charles Philip Arthur George. As the first-born of the Princess, Prince Charles assumed, aged just three, the position of second in line to the throne immediately after his mother. Queen Elizabeth II was to reign for a record-breaking 70 years and 214 days, which meant that her eldest son had to wait far longer to fulfil his destiny than might have once been thought, and he holds the record of being the longest-serving heir apparent in our nation’s history.

Preserving our nation's historic coinage

Just six months after his coronation, King Charles III celebrated his 75th birthday. To mark His Majesty’s milestone birthday, Heritage Coins has curated a unique coin set that pays tribute to our newly crowned King. Today, we are accustomed to coins being issued for all of our significant national events, but in 1948, there were none. No commemorative coins were minted to celebrate the year of the baby prince’s birth; only the regular coins were struck for circulation. Even if you had been alive at the time of his birth, you still would not have enjoyed these coins as a set, as they were never released or presented for collectors together. Our Heritage Coin specialists are delighted to change that with the King Charles III Birth Year Coin Set. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to celebrate His Majesty’s 75th birthday by owning the very coins released in the year of his birth - 1948.

Now you can own the complete set of nine circulation coins which celebrate and commemorate the auspicious 1948 birth of the baby who went on to become King Charles III. This is the coinage minted during the reign of the King's grandfather, King George VI — from the humble farthing, through half-penny, thrupenny bit and sixpence to the shilling, florin and half-crown. These coins belong to a bygone era when money still had ‘the look’ and ‘the feel’ of money and had nicknames such as a ‘bob’, ‘tanner’ and ‘joey’.

Five of the coins are the first of their type 'cupro-nickel' to ciruclate in the UK: the regal half-crown, (or ‘two-and-six’), florin (the first decimal coin at 1/10th of a pound), shilling, sixpence (‘lucky’ sixpence) and thrupenny bit (our nation's first 12 sided coin). There are also the three bronze denominations, each of them proudly featuring Britannia seated holding a trident: the penny, half-penny and farthing (quarter penny).

The 'left facing' obverse effigy

Each of the coins in the set feature the uncrowned portrait of King George VI, the King’s grandfather, modelled by Humphrey Paget. Since the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 it had been tradition that each British monarch faces the alternate direction to his/her predecessor. King George VI however faced left which is the same direction as his father, King George V, and this would at first appearances seem to contradict this tradition. However, between these two monarchs reigned King Edward VIII —for only a few months in 1936. Edward’s reign was so brief that no coins or banknotes had been released.

The abdication of Edward VIII had caused a great deal of panic amongst Britain’s institutions, not least the Royal Mint who had been preparing to issue the coinage of a king who now would never be crowned. Edward VIII had already caused some controversy by insisting that he faced left on his new coins, the same way as his father (against tradition that had alternating monarchs facing alternating directions). Following Edward’s abdication new coinage for the reluctant monarch was hastily prepared and it too showed the King facing left. Paget’s left-facing effigy is often regarded as the classic coinage head of the 20th century and the artist’s initials HP can be seen in small letters under the King’s neck.

In celebration of the Kings 75th birthday, nothing could be more timely than owning the coins from the year of his birth 

This complete set of nine original coins from 1948 is the only ‘commemoration’ in coinage you are ever likely to find from the Kings's birth year. The availability of complete year sets — especially of this age — is diminishing year on year. These are truly the ‘commemoratives’ of His Majesty’s exceptional life as both prince and now monarch, brought together in one historic set for his 75th birthday year. What a superb way to not only to celebrate his Majesty King Charles III 75th birthday, but to remind both ourselves and younger generations about the coinage and history of that era.