Editing Coins of the pound sterling (section)

===Obverse designs<span id="D.G.REG.F.D."></span><!-- used by links from individual coin pages -->===
All modern British coins feature a profile of the current monarch's head on the obverse. Until 2022, there had been only one monarch since decimalisation, [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]], and her head appeared on all decimal coins minted up to that date, facing to the right (see also [[#Monarch's profile|Monarch's profile]], below). Five different effigies were used, reflecting the Queen's changing appearance as she aged. They were created by [[Mary Gillick]] (for coins minted until 1968), [[Arnold Machin]] (1968–1984), [[Raphael Maklouf]] (1985–1997), [[Ian Rank-Broadley]] (1998–2015), and [[Jody Clark]] (from 2015).<ref>[http://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/ranges/the-fifth-definitive-coinage-portrait-first-edition The Fifth Definitive Coinage Portrait First Edition] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150303020248/http://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/ranges/the-fifth-definitive-coinage-portrait-first-edition |date=3 March 2015 }} Royal Mint (www.royalmint.com). Retrieved on 2015-03-03.</ref> In September 2022, the first portrait of [[Charles III]] was revealed, designed by [[Martin Jennings]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63073983 |title=King Charles: New coins featuring monarch's portrait unveiled |last=Peachey |first=Kevin |date=30 September 2022 |website=BBC News |publisher= |access-date=1 October 2022 |quote=}}</ref>

Most current coins carry a [[Latin]] inscription whose full form is {{sc2|ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FIDEI DEFENSATRIX}}, meaning "[[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Elizabeth II]], [[by the grace of God]], Queen and [[Fidei defensor|Defender of the Faith]]". The inscription appears in any of several abbreviated forms, typically {{sc2|ELIZABETH II D G REG F D}}. Those minted and circulated after the accession of Charles III are inscribed with {{sc2|CHARLES III DEI GRATIA REX FIDEI DEFENSOR}}, typically abbreviated as {{sc2|CHARLES III D G REX F D}} or {{sc2|CHARLES III DEI GRA REX FID DEF}}.