UK coins to feature new portrait of Queen Elizabeth II

A new portrait of Queen Elizabeth II which will appear on coins in Britain was unveiled on Monday -- only the fifth one of her 63-year reign.
The likeness shows the 88-year-old monarch facing right in profile and wearing a crown and drop earrings. It replaces a previous portrait which dates back to 1998.
The image was designed by Jody Clark, an engraver at the Royal Mint, the south Wales-based body responsible for making Britain's coins.
The new coins featuring the portrait go into production from Monday and are likely to start appearing in peoples' pockets later this year.
"Jody's achievement is something that we can celebrate as a proud moment for the Royal Mint," said Adam Lawrence, its chief executive.
"Capturing a portrait on the surface of a coin demands the utmost skill and is one of the most challenging disciplines of the coin designer's art."