• The Royal Mint has struck a special silver proof commemorative coin made from silver recovered from medical and industrial X-ray film – the coin forms part of a range produced to celebrate His Majesty King Charles III’s 75^th birthday.
• Utilising X-ray silver is an important step in reducing The Royal Mint’s reliance on mined materials.
• This is the first official UK coin to be produced from X-ray silver and pays tribute to His Majesty’s ongoing advocacy for sustainability.

The Royal Mint, the official maker of UK coins, has today unveiled its first UK coin to be produced from a blend of silver recovered from medical and industrial X-ray films. The special half-ounce silver proof coin forms part of a wider range of commemorative coins produced to celebrate His Majesty King Charles III’s 75^th birthday.

With an ongoing commitment to offering sustainably sourced precious metals, X-ray silver is an important step in reducing The Royal Mint’s reliance on mined materials and offers an innovative solution to a rapidly increasing demand for silver. The Royal Mint has already used silver recovered from medical X-ray films in pieces produced for 886 by The Royal Mint – its’ luxury jewellery division

For His Majesty King Charles III’s 75^th birthday coin, the medical and industrial X-ray films are processed in the UK, and the silver recovered for re-use. This silver is used to create refined silver blank disks, which resemble the shape of a round coin. The Royal Mint’s team of craftspeople then combine traditional minting techniques with modern coin making technology to strike each coin with the intricate design created to celebrate His Majesty’s 75^th birthday.

Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said, “We are committed to being a leader in sustainable precious metals, and using X-ray silver is one of several pioneering approaches to reduce our reliance on mined materials. Due to His Majesty’s advocacy for sustainability throughout his life, it felt fitting for the first official UK coin, produced from X-ray silver, to be His Majesty King Charles III’s 75^th birthday coin. This marks a new chapter in The Royal Mint’s coin making history, as it continues to develop beautifully crafted pieces while increasingly supporting a precious metals circular economy.”

Created by Royal Mint Coin Designer Daniel Thorne, the design on the commemorative coin pays tribute to His Majesty’s passions and interests. His Majesty The King’s royal cypher and the number 75 features at the centre of the coin, framed within oak leaves and delphiniums. The oak leaves represent strength, morale, resistance, and knowledge, whilst His Majesty’s favourite garden flower – the delphinium – reflects his love of nature. 

The full collection of coins produced to celebrate His Majesty King Charles III’s 75^th birthday can be found on The Royal Mint’s website.

King Charles III 75th Birthday Coins King Charles III 1/2oz Silver Proof Coin