New coins: how the Queen's portrait has changed over 63 years

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A new image of the Queen for British coins was unveiled in London today, following a closed competition among specialist designers.

It is only the fifth portrait of the Queen to appear on Britain's circulating coins since her accession to the throne in 1952, according to the Royal Mint.

It has been designed by Jody Clark, a Royal Mint engraver, who at 33 is the youngest person to have created a coinage portrait of Queen Elizabeth II during her 63-year reign.

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Specialist designers from across Britain were invited to submit their own interpretations of the Queen. The anonymous submissions were then judged by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee before the winning artwork was recommended to the Chancellor and the Queen for approval.

Clark said he hoped he had "done Her Majesty justice" and captured her as he intended.

"The news that my design had been chosen was quite overwhelming, and I still can't quite believe that my royal portrait will be featured on millions of coins, playing a small part in The Royal Mint's 1,000-year history," he added.

Clark is the first Royal Mint Engraver to be commissioned to undertake a royal portrait since George William de Saulles, who engraved the image of Edward VII that first appeared on the coinage in 1902.

It is standard practice to update the royal portrait on Britain's coins every 15 to 20 years.