New King Charles 10p coin enters circulation featuring an endangered bird – here’s the ‘rare’ version to spot in your change

A new 10p coin featuring King Charles III and the world’s largest grouse has gone into circulation across Britain. 

With just over 7million of the coins being released, The Royal Mint has said the new coins are expected to be highly sought after. 

The coins, dated and minted in October 2023 and in 2026 are being released due to ‘increased demand’ for the 10p denomination, The Royal Mint said. 

Sufficient demand for the coins means newly minted 10p coins have entered circulation for the first time for around four years, only this time they have a new design. 

The Royal Mint said 600,000 of the coins, dated 2023, and 6.5million dated 2026 have been released to banks and post offices nationwide. 

It means the 2023 versions will be far rarer and could become a collectible.  

The new 10p coin features King Charles III’s effigy on the front, with the endangered capercaillie appearing on the reverse side. 

The capercaillie can be found in a small part of Scotland and is at risk of becoming extinct. 

The capercaillie image on the coin was based on an illustration by the artist Mike Langman, who previously worked for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Rebecca Morgan, a director at The Royal Mint, based at Llantrisant, South Wales, said: ‘It’s a stark reminder that more of these coins will enter circulation than there are capercaillies left in the wild.

‘We hope that by putting this extraordinary bird into millions of pockets and purses, we can spark a nationwide conversation about a species at real risk of vanishing from Britain forever.’

The tails side of every newly minted coin from the 1p to the £2 features the country’s flora and fauna, ranging from bees to an oak tree leaf. 

The new 10p coin is the fourth denomination bearing King Charles III’s portrait to enter circulation. 

The 10p follows on from the 5p, 50p and £1 coin having entered circulation since 2022. 

The Royal Mint has encouraged the public to check their change over the coming weeks, as the new coins begin to appear in tills and pockets across the nation. 

A number of new 10p coins will also be available at tills in the Royal Mint Experience, The Royal Mint’s visitor attraction in South Wales. 

There are currently 24.142 billion coins in circulation across Britain and ones featuring King Charles III comprise just 1 per cent of this number. 

Old coins with the image of the late Queen Elizabeth II can still be used. The new coins have been circulated in response to higher demand.