First Coins of 2026 Revealed by The Royal Mint
- Five new coin designs have been revealed by The Royal Mint, commemorating upcoming national milestones and anniversaries in 2026.
- The coins celebrate some of the most notable places, figures and institutions in British history, such as Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
- For the first time, a limited number of the Annual Sets will be made using recycled gold.
- As part of its commitment to a more sustainable future, The Royal Mint aims to produce all collectible gold coins from recycled gold by the end of 2026.
Friday 2nd January 2026: The first coins of 2026 have today been revealed by The Royal Mint, with a selection of coins commemorating milestone anniversaries such as 100 years of the Grand Prix in Britain, 200 years of the Zoological Society London (ZSL) and the 100th birthday of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Two new 50p coins will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Grand Prix in Britain, and 50 years of The King’s Trust. Two new £2 coins will celebrate 200 years of the ZSL and the 200th anniversary of HMS Beagle. The first £5 coin to be revealed in 2026 celebrates the 100th birthday of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest reigning monarch.
In a first for The Royal Mint, 52 gold commemorative versions of the 2026 collection have been crafted using recycled gold. In partnership with Sempsa, the gold found in the Annual Sets has been recycled from old jewellery and coins. This represents a significant milestone in The Royal Mint's commitment to using sustainably sourced precious metals whilst maintaining the exceptional quality and purity of official UK coinage. The Royal Mint aims to produce all gold commemorative coins from recycled gold by the end of 2026.
Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said: “This is an exciting moment for the nation to discover some of the anniversaries that will be celebrated on UK coins in 2026. Whether you're a Royal enthusiast, a motor racing fan, or passionate about conservation, there's something for everyone in this collection. Coins have a unique ability to mark a variety of themes that resonate across different communities and interests, creating lasting reminders of the moments and institutions that shape our shared heritage.”
Rebecca continues, “We are also delighted to be introducing recycled gold into a limited number of commemorative coins. This move demonstrates our commitment to a more sustainable future for The Royal Mint, preserving finite precious metal resources and supporting a circular economy.”
This is the latest step in The Royal Mint’s transformation journey. In 2024, the pioneering Reformation Metals facility was launched at its manufacturing site in south Wales, where gold is recovered from end-of-life technology such as laptops, TVs and mobile phones, and used in jewellery and lifestyle products.
Working with Betts Metals, The Royal Mint also uses silver from industrial and medical X-ray films in products such as the silver Sixpence.
About the 2026 Annual Set Designs:
The 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Queen Elizabeth II £5 Coin
Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor on 21 April 1926, Queen Elizabeth II was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Elizabeth II has appeared on more UK coins than any other British monarch and her image was synonymous with The Royal Mint until her passing in 2022. During her reign, five official coinage portraits of the monarch appeared on the United Kingdom’s circulating coins. At the centre of the design features Elizabeth II’s cypher as well as depicting St Edward’s Crown, surrounded by foliage based on the ironwork of the East Door of St George’s Chapel where Elizabeth II is buried. The design also features the inscription “EXALTABITUR IN GLORIA’, which translated to ‘She will be exalted in glory’, whilst the 100 beads surround the design represents the centenary of Elizabeth II’s birth.
200 Years of ZSL £2 Coin
Celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2026, ZSL’s (the Zoological Society London) mission is to help people and wildlife thrive together. Founded by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in 1826 for ‘the advancement of zoological science’, the international conservation charity now supports wildlife in more than 70 countries across the world. The UK £2 coin celebrating 200 years features three key animals (Sumatran Tiger, Socorro Dove and Partula Snail) that tell a powerful story about ZSL's conservation impact and the coin’s edge inscription reads ‘RESTORING WILDLIFE TOGETHER’.
The 200th Anniversary of HMS Beagle £2 Coin
HMS Beagle is one of the most important vessels in the history of global exploration and discovery. Throughout its years of active service, Beagle set sail on three voyages, although it is best known for its second voyage, whose passengers included Captain Robert Fitzroy and naturalist Charles Darwin. The design displays the ship and comes with an edge inscription that reads ‘THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE’.
100 Years of the Grand Prix in Britain 50p
One of the most popular events in motor racing is the British Grand Prix. Established in 1926 at Brooklands in Surrey, the first purpose-built motor racing venue in the United Kingdom, it became a fixture on the World Championship calendar in 1950. The first British Grand Prix™ took place at Silverstone in 1948 and although it has been held on other circuits since, Silverstone has produced some of the most exciting moments in Grand Prix history. The design shows how the vehicles used at the British Grand Prix have evolved over the time, featuring a historic racing car that was used in the earlier races alongside a 2026 Formula 1 car.
50 Years of The King’s Trust 50p
In 1976, His Majesty King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, used his Navy severance pay - £7,400 - to fund several community initiatives that became the foundations of what is today known as The King’s Trust (formerly The Prince’s Trust). Over 50 years, the charity has helped more than 1.2 million young people across the UK, supporting them to develop the confidence and skills they need to get ready for work, secure a job or start a business. The coin's reverse features a design by Jessica Gregorio, a graphic designer and former Trust beneficiary, reflecting the journey and aspirations of young people supported by the charity. A flowing stream subtly references the Royal Navy origin story, the sun represents optimism and the light The Trust brings to young lives, whilst clouds symbolise their dreams and ambitions as expressions of hope and possibility.
The 2026 commemorative sets will be available in a range of precious metal and base proof finishes, from 2 January via The Royal Mint website, with prices starting from £39.50. Each of the coins will be available individually throughout 2026, except for The King’s Trust 50p which is only available exclusively as part of the Annual Set.
From 2nd January, visitors to the Royal Mint Experience will have an opportunity to strike their own 2026 dated £1 coin, marking an exciting start to the visitor attraction's 10th birthday celebrations. In a special nod to this milestone anniversary, the £1 coin has been chosen as the strike your own coin, as the round pound was the first coin visitors could strike when the attraction opened in 2016. The £1 coin features the British Bees on the reverse (tails) side of the coin.
