# The reign of King Charles III of the United Kingdom **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 8, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232 "2022-09-08T18:05:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 51
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2023, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1004 "2023-11-16T07:44:59Z")
Is the use of cash diminishing as fast in Canada as in the UK? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2023, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1005 "2023-11-16T08:46:29Z")
I don’t know. I typically don’t use cash nowadays, except to place a bet at the racetrack, where cash is necessary. Most everything else is done by debit card in my case; but me being me, I don’t like using that for small things, like a cup of coffee. So a few coins in my pocket is helpful for a loaf of bread or a can of Coke at the corner store. I have seen people paying for their coffee, bread, and Coke with cards though, so I guess I’m a holdout. ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2023, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1006 "2023-11-16T10:14:39Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > My understanding is that the monarch personally approves the effigy for the coins, so even if the mint was making some plans, nothing could happen until the King approved it. Charles has likely been busy this year, what with the funeral, the coronation, the presentation in Scotland, and so on. New coins might have been low on his list. > > Only after he approved it would it be possible to make new dies. But the UK Royal Mint was able to publish the new effigy for its coins just three weeks after his accession. Difficult to believe that they didn’t have that design prepared in advance. (Not that I’ve seen any yet, because coins are now something I so rarely handle.) ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2023, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1007 "2023-11-16T18:50:45Z")
Some years are notoriously difficult for collectors to find. In 1933 there were scarcely any pennies struck at all. There have been some years where they did not strike coins at all. [History of the British penny (1901–1970) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_British_penny_(1901%E2%80%931970)) No pennies were struck for QE2 until 1953. No £.s.d. coins were dated later than 1967, until the decimal coinage came in 1971 (the decimal shilling and two-shilling equivalents started circulating long before that). Use of cash is, of course declining sharply and some places refuse to take cash at all, now, including restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2023, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1008 "2023-11-16T18:59:15Z")
Many small and large concert venues have gone cash free. You must have a card or smartphone to get food, drinks and merchandise. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2023, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1009 "2023-11-16T18:59:38Z")
This is really interesting—I hadn’t known that. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2023, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1010 "2023-11-16T20:45:45Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Royal Canadian Mint unveils new coins with His Maj on them. > > [1st batch of newly minted Canadian coins bearing King Charles's image unveiled | CBC News](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/king-charles-coin-royal-canadian-mint-1.7027749) Not a bad-looking coin, although it seems odd to me that it shows his collar, tie and the top of his suitcoat. Aren’t the images of British, er, Canadian monarchs on coins usually just of the upper neck and the head - that is, a bust? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1011 "2023-11-16T22:55:22Z")
Looking at my pocket change right now … All the coins are Queen Elizabeth, of course, but different years have different profiles. In all of them, though, she’s got some sort of clothing with a neckline, and in more recent updates, it looks like she’s got a necklace too. It’s been years since I’ve seen a George VI coin, and I can’t remember whether he was shown as a bust, so I can’t comment on that. But given that Elizabeth always had some sort of attire, it doesn’t seem unusual that Charles would have a coat, tie, and collar. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2023, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1012 "2023-11-16T23:57:01Z")
Edward VIII almost had some coins circulated but most were melted down. A few samples exist though and are very valuable. Slight hijack: I worked with two nephews of Patricio Aylwin who was the president of Chile in the early 90s. His face was on one of their large denomination currency. One of them had one of those bills with his uncle’s signature on it. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1013 "2023-11-17T00:55:41Z")
What looks more odd to me is that it makes him look like he’s uncomfortably twisting his neck far to the right. His lapels/collar/tie look sort of 2/3 frontal but his head is full profile. ---
**Author:** ![Digger11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Digger11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digger11)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2023, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1014 "2023-11-18T23:01:57Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Ummm … Canada hasn’t minted pennies in at least ten years, give or take. But the UK still does. > **[King Charles III Definitives 2023 UK Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Set | The...](https://www.royalmint.com/annual-sets/2023/definitives/king-charles-iii-definitives-2023-brilliant-uncirculated-coin-set/)** > > Features eight brand-new reverse designs that pay tribute to King Charles III, the four nations of the United Kingdom and the natural world. The official coinage portrait of His Majesty, created by British sculptor Martin Jennings, features on the... ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2023, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1015 "2023-11-19T05:59:27Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > What looks more odd to me is that it makes him look like he’s uncomfortably twisting his neck far to the right. If Charles didn’t look at least slightly uncomfortable, how would you know it was him? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2023, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1016 "2023-11-20T12:57:06Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > If Charles didn’t look at least slightly uncomfortable, how would you know it was him? Nicely said! ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1017 "2023-11-23T16:25:12Z")
Maybe it’s a guilty conscience? (It is not.) A mixture of feudal law and a consitutional weakness when it comes to differentiating between the person and state seems to have led to some rather unseemly financial practices on behalf of our monarch. > **[Revealed: King Charles secretly profiting from the assets of dead citizens](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/nov/23/revealed-king-charles-secretly-profiting-from-the-assets-of-dead-citizens?CMP=twt_b-gdnnews)** > > Exclusive: Assets of thousands of people in north-west England used to upgrade king’s property empire via archaic custom > The Duchy of Lancaster, a controversial land and property estate that generates huge profits for King Charles III, has collected tens of millions of pounds in recent years under an antiquated system that dates back to feudal times. > > Financial assets known as _bona vacantia_, owned by people who died without a will or known next of kin, are collected by the duchy. Over the last 10 years, it has collected more than £60m in the funds. It has long claimed that, after deducting costs, _bona vacantia_ revenues are donated to charities. > > However, only a small percentage of these revenues is being given to charity. Internal duchy documents seen by the Guardian reveal how funds are secretly being used to finance the renovation of properties that are owned by the king and rented out for profit. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1018 "2023-11-23T16:56:44Z")
> [@Stanislaus](#): > > A mixture of feudal law and a consitutional weakness when it comes to differentiating between the person and state seems to have led to some rather unseemly financial practices on behalf of our monarch. Hardly unseemly. In America, if you die without heirs, your property is escheated to the state. I assume the same thing happens all over the UK, and in fact it does- it goes to the Treasury, which then spends are is needed. ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1019 "2023-11-23T16:58:36Z")
Didn’t read the article, huh? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1020 "2023-11-23T17:01:22Z")
Yep. You seem to think this is a disgrace. It isnt. ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1021 "2023-11-23T17:03:24Z")
Still not read it then? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1022 "2023-11-23T17:05:26Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I assume the same thing happens all over the UK, and in fact it does- it goes to the Treasury, which then spends are is needed. This assumption is incorrect. The point of the article, and Stanislaus’s concern, is that _bona vacantia_ in the Duchy do not revert to the Treasury. They revert to the monarch personally. Outside of the Duchy, _bona vacantia_ do revert to the Treasury, to be spent for public purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/1023 "2023-11-23T17:07:31Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > The point of the article, and Stanislaus’s concern, is that _bona vacantia_ in the Duchy do not revert to the Treasury. They revert to the monarch personally I didn’t even have to read the whole article to understand this. The summary in Stanislaus’ post made it very clear. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232.md?page=50) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232.md?page=52)