The king himself approved the minimalist design, which features a profile view that will be familiar to fans of the stamps featuring Charles's mother, Queen Elizabeth II. That monarch ascended to the throne; that stamp dates to 1967. Charles's profile, however, has no crown or other trappings of monarchy. He is looking left, and the background is plain purple.

A design by sculptor Martin Jennings is the basis of new coins featuring King Charles, and U.K. officials will use that same image for the new stamps. Existing stamps featuring Queen Elizabeth will be sold and accepted, officials said.

Charles III will become the seventh U.K. monarch to appear on stamps. The first was Queen Victoria, whose profile appeared on the Penny Black, (right) the world's first postage stamp, in 1840.

Edward VII

George V

Edward VIII

George VI

Elizabeth II