MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands Treasury launches new series of coins depicting the King Penguin

The coins will depict as its focal point one of the planet’s most unusual and unique species of bird, the King Penguin.

GreySheet News which covers numismatic, and coins and paper money, information, in an article published by Michael Alexander reports that the Falkland Islands Treasury have announced the launch of a new annual series of gold and silver coins, which should be available beginning mid-January, and the coins will depict as its focal point one of the planet’s most unusual and unique species of bird, the King Penguin.

The Falkland Islands have become known as the penguin capital of the world. It is hard to believe that back in the 18th century these beautiful birds were hunted almost to extinction for oil and in the case of some breeds, for their skins. Thankfully, conservation and awareness has changed this and the penguins are now a favorite with tourists as well as evolving into indigenous ambassadors representing the Antarctic region. These unusual flightless birds whose natural habitat is for the most part in the Antarctic regions are varied in terms of their appearance and behavior. Penguins are found only south of the equator and as close to the pole favoring coastal habitation or the many islands surrounding the continent of Antarctica or adjacent. As the Falkland Islands are a mere 750 miles of the nearest point of Antarctica, it is here where many penguin species make their home.

Featured on the first coin appropriately, is the King Penguin which is the second largest penguin species in the world and has an overall population estimated at 1.2 million. In the Falkland Islands there are more than 1000 breeding adults and over 500 chicks are estimated to be raised each year. As the chicks are reared, both parents see to their chick’s upbringing and share feeding as well protecting their offspring from predators and other penguins who can sometimes try to steal eggs or chicks. It is thought that the Falklands king penguin population expansion may be due to overcrowding further south on the islands of South Georgia.

The 2025 King Penguin Gold and Silver Proof & BU Coins launch as an annual series which will see the reverse side change the designs with each year. The new range of coins is produced by the Tower Mint Ltd. at their facilities in London, UK on behalf of the Treasury of the Falkland Islands. The reverse side features an adult King Penguin centered with a background along with a flock of four penguins which includes a juvenile and its parent to the right. Above the primary design is the text FALKLAND ISLANDS along the upper rim and the additional text KING PENGUIN placed along the lower rim. The obverse side includes an effigy of HM King Charles III created by engraver Glyn Davies. The legend CHARLES III · D·G·REX · FALKLAND ISLANDS £5 surrounds the portrait with the year of authorization 2025 appearing below the King’s likeness.

 

Available from mid-January, the proof and reverse proof coins are encapsulated and presented in a branded Tower Mint custom case accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. The bullion-strike coins are housed in a PVC coin-flip, the silver one-ounce coin are available in consignments of 100 pieces. For additional information, please visit the e-webshop of the Tower Mint, official distributors. Download the Greysheet app for access to pricing, news, events and your subscriptions.

 

(*) Michael Alexander’s background in both numismatics and banknotes spans more than three decades and whose activities have varied from being a dedicated world coin collector to coin & medal design, marketing, theme concept and production. His additional interests include banknote research and in 1997, he founded the London Banknote and Monetary Research Centre to further these interests and activities. The company continues to offer monthly currency bulletins to both online and printed publications which includes information about the latest banknote news and releases from Central Banks and Monetary Authorities around the world.