Oak Leaf 5p (2023 to 2025)

The Oak Leaf 5p is a current circulating coin, and ordinary examples from change trade at face value. The coins collectors pay for were never issued for spending: 2023 set coins, which add a Tudor Crown privy mark beside the portrait, and every 2024 coin, since that year had no circulation strike. The 2025 date had a smaller circulation run than 2023. Unworn coins with clean detail on the leaves and acorns are the ones worth keeping from change.

With 51,400,000 struck for circulation, the Oak Leaf 5p is the rarest of the 5 ranked 5p designs and has the 161st lowest mintage of all 194 circulating UK designs. That puts it in the Common band, for mintages 10,000,000 or more.

No 5p design has a lower circulation mintage. The next more common is the Crowned thistle (FIVE PENCE, large) 5p, with 270,370,610 struck.

Its lowest circulation mintage was in 2025, with 19,000,000 struck.

Look for an oak sprig with leaves and acorns on the right and a large 5 over PENCE on the left, set on a panel of repeated interlocking Cs. There is no date on that side. The obverse pairs the King's portrait with the legend CHARLES III DEI GRA REX FID DEF and the year of striking. Circulation coins were struck with 2023 and 2025 dates. The 2023 set coins carry a small Tudor Crown privy mark beside the portrait, which circulation coins lack.

Known varieties of the Oak Leaf 5p, all listed among the UK error coins and varieties:

• Tudor Crown privy mark (2023 sets): The 2023 coins in brilliant uncirculated and proof sets carry a Tudor Crown privy mark on the obverse; circulation coins do not.

The oak was picked for the 5p as a symbol of British woodland: The Royal Mint chose it for the tree's role as a rich habitat, supporting more wildlife than any other native British tree. It is one of eight plant and animal designs, created by The Royal Mint and approved by the King, that gave every coin from the 1p to the £2 a new reverse. Collector sets went on sale on 12 October 2023. The coin is split vertically. A sprig of English oak with leaves and acorns fills the right two-thirds, and the left third carries a large 5 above the word PENCE on a background of three interlocking Cs repeated, recalling the cypher on the coins of Charles II. Martin Jennings' portrait of the King and the date are on the obverse. Although struck in October 2023, the first oak leaf 5ps were held for two years and went out through banks and Post Office branches on 23 October 2025, once demand for 5ps had grown. The Royal Mint marked the release by sending some to Post Offices with Oak in their name.