Newly-Minted King Charles Coins Have A Special Hidden Detail

The Royal Mint has officially unveiled King Charles III's new coins. The coins, worth £5 Crown and 50 pence, are the first coins to feature the new King's portrait, and they've been revealed just in time for King Charles' coronation, three months ahead of the historic event. According to the Chief Executive Officer of The Royal Mint, Anne Jessopp, "The Royal Mint has been trusted to make coins bearing the Monarch's effigy for over 1,100 years, and we are proud to continue this tradition into the reign of King Charles III."

Of course, the coins, designed by Martin Jennings, bear a striking resemblance to the King. Jennings says, "It is a privilege to sculpt the first official effigy of His Majesty and to receive his personal approval for the design. The portrait was sculpted from a photograph of The King, and was inspired by the iconic effigies that have graced Britain's coins over the centuries. It is the smallest work I have created, but it is humbling to know it will be seen and held by people around the world for centuries to come." 

It's clear that Jennings took his duty to design these historic coins very seriously. Yet, there may be more to this portrait of the King than meets the eye. Some believe that there's a hidden message in the image of Charles, and you may be surprised to find out what that message is, as well as where it's hidden.

While King Charles has been hard at work preparing for his coronation, the collectible coin experts at Britannia Coin Company have been paying close attention to his new coins. They've noticed a hidden image in the coins that most people probably didn't notice upon a cursory glance at the portrait. Hiding images in the art on coins is actually very common, and in the case of the King's new coins, many believe that there's a special detail: a bird whispering into King Charles's ear that's disguised as part of his face.

According to the Director of Britannia Coin Company, Jon White (via The Mirror), "Once you've seen the bird on King Charles's ear, you'll zero-in on it every time you see one of his coins and I suspect you'll never un-see it." He went on to add, "I have no idea if Martin Jennings, the artist, intended to include this hidden image. If he did, I think it's clever and fitting acknowledgment of His Majesty's passion for wildlife and that he's listening to the plights our natural world faces. These new coins already have collectors talking, thanks to the King's choice to be shown without a crown." White says that more of the coins will be in circulation soon "meaning everyone will get the chance to spot the secret bird detail for themselves." Whether this bird was intentional or not, it seems it will live on as a symbol of the King's dedication to nature.