Puffins, dolphins and bumblebees in running to feature on new UK banknotes | Bank of England
Seagulls, dolphins and bumblebees are among the wild animals that could appear on new banknotes in the UK, as the Bank of England announces its shortlist.
There was controversy about the decision; Names, including Nigel Farage, criticized the Bank for wanting to replace Winston Churchill with a beaver. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said it was a “silly thing” and Reform UK’s Farage called it “absolute nonsense”. In the end, no beaver appeared on the shortlist. Mammal options include bottlenose dolphins and red foxes.
However, this is primarily an anti-counterfeiting measure. Announcing the consultation, the Bank defended the decision and said banknotes were periodically updated to include the latest security and accessibility features.
He said the wildlife images “provide an opportunity to celebrate another important aspect of the UK”. The bank notes that the banknotes will have security technology to help prevent counterfeiting, and that animals are particularly suitable for this.
The RSPCA also criticized the Bank, saying it should have focused on less popular animals such as pigeons, rats and seagulls.
A panel of wildlife experts helped prepare the shortlist, which can be voted on by the public from today. All species included are native to Britain, and the list includes endangered creatures such as Atlantic salmon and the marsh fritillary butterfly.
The winning wildlife will replace figures such as Jane Austen, Winston Churchill and Alan Turing and will be the main image on the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes. Only animals on the list will be considered.
The list was divided into three categories: mammals, birds and amphibians, with a category combining insects and fish. The public will be able to choose up to two examples from each category during a consultation period that runs until July 3.
After consulting on what the next images should be, the bank said the most popular theme for the new banknotes was wildlife.
He will use public voting to choose “four different animals” from the notes so they can be easily distinguished. This means that the animals with the most votes will not be the ones chosen because some of them are too similar to each other. The designs will also choose different elements from nature to complement the chosen animals.
Victoria Cleland, the bank’s chief cashier, said: “I hope the public will enjoy the consultations we held to select the animals to feature on our next series of banknotes. The shortlisted animals demonstrate the rich diversity of wildlife we should celebrate in the UK.”
The bank said it would take several years for the banknotes to enter circulation due to the lengthy process of designing and testing them.
Shortlisted mammals
bottlenose dolphin
brown rabbit
european hedgehog
gray seal
pine marten
red fox
Shortlisted birds
atlantic puffin
barn owl
common kingfisher
Eurasian sandpiper
Great spotted woodpecker
white tailed eagle
Shortlisted amphibians, insects and fish
atlantic salmon
Shark
Buff-tailed bumblebee
common frog
emperor dragonfly
Swamp fritillary butterfly
