New medallions released to mark King Charles' coronation

How King Charles' coronation will look different King Charles has changed the oath part of the coronation which was supposed to be more inclusive of the people but has not be well received.

In honour of King Charles III’s coronation, set to take place in London on Saturday, two new medallion designs have been approved exclusively for Canada.

Issued by the Canadian Heritage Mint, the medallions are offered through the Canadian Coin & Currency Corporation, a national coin dealer. According to a press release issued by the company on Tuesday, both designs were engraved by retired Royal Canadian Mint senior engraver Susan Taylor, and officially approved by the King.

“For most Canadians, this will be the first time they will experience the coronation of a new monarch,” Canadian Coin & Currency president Steven Bromberg said in the press release. “These medallions are steeped in history and provide an excellent way to mark a moment in history."

The release of these medallions to mark the sovereign’s coronation is part of a tradition that spans more than 500 years. King Charles will be crowned at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, in a ceremony that is expected to be smaller and shorter than his mother’s coronation in 1953.

The first design includes a new effigy of the King wearing the Imperial State Crown, alongside his cypher. On the back of the coin is the date of his coronation, May 6, 2023, along with a wreath of six Canadian maple leaves surrounding St. Edward's Crown.

Each maple leaf represents the coronation of one of the kings and queens since confederation took place: Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III.

This medallion has been issued in a one-ounce fine silver format with a limited mintage of 3,500 pieces, as well as a 37-millimetre bronze format with a mintage of 5,000 pieces.

The second design involves a combination of the effigies of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, along with the date of the coronation. This medallion is available in a five-ounce silver format with a mintage of 600 pieces, as well as an eight-ounce bronze format with a mintage of 1,800 pieces.

“Medals and medallions featuring the King and Queen are a centuries old tradition,” the press release reads.

Silver and bronze versions of the single and dual-effigy medallions remain in stock for purchase, according to the Canadian Coin & Currency’s website.

In terms of Canada’s plans to include images of King Charles on bills and coins used as legal tender, announcements have yet to be made by the federal government. As of now, a timeline for replacing images of the late Queen Elizabeth II on coins and bills remains unclear.