Large numbers on an entirely redesigned set of UK coins will help children to identify figures and learn to count, The Royal Mint has said. The coins will enter circulation by the end of the year, marking the new reign of King Charles III and celebrating his love of the natural world. The tails side of every coin from the 1p to the £2 will feature the country's flora and fauna. Old coins can still be used, with the new set struck in response to demand. Although cash use - and especially the popularity of coins - has been in decline in recent years, the Mint says heritage and need mean this change is still required. Definitive coins feature the standard designs seen on the majority of official currency. These designs stay the same for years or even decades. The coins follow centuries of tradition with the monarch now facing left - the opposite way to his predecessor. New banknotes featuring the image of King Charles are being printed in their millions but will not enter circulation until the middle of next year - some months after the coins.
