Wildlife to Replace Historical Figures on Bank of England Banknotes
British wildlife will replace historical characters on the upcoming series of Bank of England banknotes, with the public invited to participate in selecting which animals and birds will be featured.
The Bank of England stated that images of wildlife would be more difficult to counterfeit and would provide an opportunity to celebrate the natural heritage of the UK.
This change marks the end of the use of historical figures, which have appeared on £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes for over 50 years, sometimes sparking controversy.
A panel of experts will compile a shortlist of wildlife candidates to present to the public for input. The Bank's governor will make the final decision. It is expected that the new banknotes will take several years before entering circulation.
"The key driver for introducing a new banknote series is always to increase counterfeit resilience, but it also provides an opportunity to celebrate different aspects of the UK," said Victoria Cleland, the Bank's chief cashier, whose signature appears on the notes.
Nature emerged as the most popular theme in a public consultation and focus groups, which received 44,000 responses regarding banknote imagery.
According to the Bank, 60% of respondents selected nature as one of their preferred themes, surpassing architecture and landmarks (56%), historical figures (38%), arts, culture and sport (30%), innovation (23%), and noteworthy milestones (19%).
Wildlife is already depicted on some UK banknotes, such as those issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland, which feature mackerel, otters, red squirrels, and osprey.
The expert panel responsible for selecting the wildlife contenders includes wildlife filmmakers and presenters Gordon Buchanan, Miranda Krestovnikoff, and Nadeem Perera, alongside Katy Bell from Ulster Wildlife, and academics Steve Ormerod and Dawn Scott.
Perera commented, "The wildlife of the UK is not separate from our culture. It sits in our football crests, our folklore, our coastlines and our childhoods. Giving it space on something as symbolic as our currency feels both overdue and significant."
Safe Choice?
The monarch has been featured on Bank of England notes since 1960 and will continue to appear on future issues. Historical characters, beginning with William Shakespeare, were first introduced on the reverse side of notes a decade later.
The current historical figures on circulating notes, listed in ascending order of note value, are Sir Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, JMW Turner, and Alan Turing.
The Bank has faced controversy in the past due to the lack of female representation aside from Queen Elizabeth II on notes issued in 2013. Additionally, no historical figure who is black or from an ethnic minority background has ever appeared on Bank of England notes.
Bank officials may consider wildlife a less contentious choice. However, the selection of the robin as the UK's favourite bird did attract some criticism.
This summer, the public will be invited to choose specific UK-native wildlife from the shortlist to feature on the next series of banknotes. Household pets will not be considered.
The new banknotes may also incorporate other natural elements such as plants and landscapes to complete the designs.
The Bank may aim to replicate the success of the Bermuda Monetary Authority's $5 note, which recently won the International Bank Note Society's banknote of the year award.
The Bermuda note is predominantly pink and features images of a blue marlin, dolphins, and tuna fish, along with a profile of King Charles III. The back of the vertically oriented note combines butterflies, flora, Horseshoe Bay, and a boat passing beneath Somerset Bridge.
Animals and nature, as well as railways and television nostalgia, were popular themes among suggestions submitted to the BBC's Your Voice initiative when the public was asked for views on banknote themes last year.
