New coinage portrait of Queen Elizabeth II unveiled in UK

LONDON (AP) — Britain's Royal Mint has unveiled a new portrait of Queen Elizabeth II that will soon appear on coins.

The portrait — a side profile of the 88-year-old monarch wearing a crown and drop earrings — is only the fifth to have been created during the queen's reign over six decades.

Gordon Summers, the chief engraver at the Royal Mint, said the task was "probably one of the most difficult things for any artist or sculptor to do."

Coins featuring the new design go into production Monday, though they won't begin to be circulated until later in the year.

Although portraits of the queen have changed over time, a tradition that has remained constant is that the queen is always shown facing right.