Bank of England Opens Vote For Animals On Bank Notes, Shortlists 18 Species
The Bank of England has opened a vote for animals on bank notes after shortlisting 18 wildlife species for its next series. People can pick up to six favourites by the end of 3 July, with the final choice resting with governor Andrew Bailey.
Victoria Cleland Consultation
Victoria Cleland, the Bank's chief cashier, said: "I very much hope the public will enjoy engaging in our consultation to choose the animals to feature on our next series of banknotes," She also said: "The shortlisted animals demonstrate the rich variety of wildlife we have to celebrate in the UK."
The shortlist was chosen by a panel of wildlife experts and covers three groups: mammals, birds, and amphibians, insects and fish. The mammals are the bottlenose dolphin, the brown hare, the European hedgehog, the grey seal, the pine marten and the red fox.
Andrew Bailey Decision
The birds are the Atlantic puffin, the barn owl, the common kingfisher, the Eurasian curlew, the great spotted woodpecker and the white-tailed eagle. The amphibians, insects and fish are the Atlantic salmon, the basking shark, the buff-tailed bumblebee, the common frog, the Emperor dragonfly and the marsh fritillary butterfly.
Bailey will make the final decision on the banknotes after the consultation closes. Each new note will feature one creature, while the series will also keep a portrait of the monarch and images representing the home nations.
Bank Of England Notes
The change would put wildlife on the reverse side of the £5 note, £10 note, £20 note and £50 note, replacing the historical figures now circulating there. Those current notes feature Sir Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, JMW Turner and Alan Turing, and the Bank said the new series will be the first since 1970 not to use notable figures from history on the reverse.
That leaves the public with a narrower job than the Bank had before: choose up to six creatures, then wait for Bailey's call. The design, testing and printing still take several years before the notes enter circulation.
