Australian coins of the future are likely to feature the head of King Charles III facing the opposite way to his late mother’s.

But they will circulate alongside each other in a sort of mother-and-son currency double act.

A west-facing Charles III would continue a royal tradition, said to have started under Charles II from 1660, where the the new monarch faces the opposite direction to their predecessor in their profile portrait on coins.

Since her coronation in 1953, six likenesses of Queen Elizabeth II have appeared on the obverse side of Australian coins, the last of them struck in 2018 and all facing right.

The only exception to the “about face” convention was the coinage of Edward VIII, who insisted on his profile facing left.

Australian coins of the future are likely to feature the head of King Charles III facing the opposite way to his late mother’s.
But they will circulate alongside each other in a sort of mother-and-son currency double act.
A west-facing Charles III would continue a royal tradition, said to have started under Charles II from 1660, where the the new monarch faces the opposite direction to their predecessor in their profile portrait on coins.
Since her coronation in 1953, six likenesses of Queen Elizabeth II have appeared on the obverse side of Australian coins, the last of them struck in 2018 and all facing right.
The only exception to the “about face” convention was the coinage of Edward VIII, who insisted on his profile facing left.

If you enjoyed listening to The West Live for your daily news fix, then come and join us over on The Nightly Five.  Host Ben O’Shea continues to deliver punchy news and analysis, in a new podcast to get you in front of tomorrow’s news today!  Subscribe on your favourite podcast player and visit the thenightly.com.au

If you enjoyed listening to The West Live for your daily news fix, then come and join us over on The Nightly Five.  Host Ben O’Shea continues to deliver punchy news and analysis, in a new podcast to get you in front of tomorrow’s news today!  Subscribe on your favourite podcast player and visit the <a href="https://thenightly.com.au">thenightly.com.au</a>

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