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The Bank of England is set to introduce a new series of banknotes that will prominently feature four animals from the natural world, marking a significant departure from the traditional focus on historical figures. The selected creatures—Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee, and European hedgehog—were chosen to bring a fresh and diverse representation of UK wildlife to the currency. Although the bank has not yet assigned which animal will appear on which denomination, these images will replace notable historical personalities such as Sir Winston Churchill on the banknotes in the coming years.
These animals were selected through a public voting process that engaged a wide array of participants, from wildlife lovers to schoolchildren. A panel of wildlife specialists initially shortlisted 18 species, encompassing mammals, birds, amphibians, insects, and fish. More than 2.5 million votes were cast by nearly half a million people. The barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee, and European hedgehog emerged as the top candidates in their respective categories, while the Atlantic puffin was included for its marine significance and to add variety to the series. Victoria Cleland, the Bank’s chief cashier, praised the four animals for showcasing the UK’s rich biodiversity and also noted that their images will enhance the security features of the banknotes.
The bumblebee led the overall voting with 360,399 votes, followed by the barn owl and European hedgehog in their categories. While other animals like the red fox and common kingfisher received more votes than the puffin, the latter was selected specifically to honor marine life and the British coastline. The puffin and bumblebee are already featured on recently redesigned British coins, reflecting their growing presence across UK currency. The new banknotes will likely include additional natural elements from the shortlist to complement the central animal motifs, and the monarch will continue to be displayed on the reverse side.
Rhys Phillips, who will oversee the rollout of the new notes as the incoming chief cashier, emphasized that designing, testing, and producing these banknotes is a complex process that takes years. He highlighted the importance of ensuring the notes are secure, durable, and accessible. This redesign is significant as it will be the first time since 1970 that Bank of England notes do not feature famous historic figures on their reverse sides. The decision to replace images of personalities like Churchill has sparked criticism from some politicians, but the Bank has explained that these changes are primarily driven by the need to combat counterfeiting, necessitating a gradual replacement of all older designs
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