Fifty Pence 2023 Salmon, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

The obverse of the coin displays the first definitive portrait of King Charles III, which shows his bare (uncrowned) head facing left.

Below the neck truncation in tiny letters, the artist's initials MJ (for Martin Jennings).

Around, the monarch's legend and the date of issue: CHARLES III · DEI · GRA · REX · FID · DEF · 2023 ·. Translated from Latin, the legend means: Charles the Third, by the Grace of God, King, Defender of the Faith.

In the right-hand part of the coin, the design depicts an Atlantic salmon fish leaping out of the water.

On the left, on two lines the value and denomination, 50 PENCE.

The background on the left has a pattern of repeating three interlocking letters C, a feature which takes its inspiration from history and the cypher of King Charles II (C for Charles, CC for Charles the Second, CCC for Charles III), and small diamonds.

The new definitive designs were released on 12 October 2023 in special collector sets.

To celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty, the obverses of the coins in the sets feature a small privy mark in the form of the Tudor Crown, which forms part of The King’s cypher and is used in representations of the Royal Arms, military badges and crown badges.

The 50p was also the only coin in the range available to the public as part of the "Mint Your Own" experience at the Royal Mint facility in Wales. With only 200,000 coins released into circulation, the circulating "salmon type 50" (without the crown privy mark on the obverse) has become a key date in the series, with mintage lower even than the iconic Kew Gardens 50p.