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Bank of England reveals four animals to feature on redesigned banknotes
Overview
The Bank of England has announced that the Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee, and European hedgehog will feature on redesigned UK banknotes, replacing historical figures to enhance security and showcase British wildlife. The selections followed a public vote involving over 2.5 million votes, though specific denominations for each animal have not yet been decided.
Key points
- The four chosen animals are the Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee, and European hedgehog.
- The owl, bumblebee, and hedgehog topped a public vote in their respective categories.
- The Atlantic puffin was selected to celebrate marine life and coastline while adding variety to the notes.
- Over 2.5 million votes were cast by nearly 478,531 people during the public nomination process.
- Wildlife is replacing historical figures like Sir Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, JMW Turner, and Alan Turing on Bank of England notes.
- The monarch will continue to feature on the other side of the redesigned notes.
- The Bank of England stated the change aims to enhance security and combat counterfeiting.
- The design, testing, and production process will take years, with final designs to be unveiled closer to their launch.