Ashley Hill
Established Member
AI didn`t like 05s any more than it did 10s, hence the 08.
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Banknotes (Bank of England) redesign
- Thread starter pr1
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D6130
Established Member
In fairness 05s and 10s have been out of service for a very long time!
They are likely going to do just that, because the currency is the legal tender of the UK. Might as well complain about ENGLAND being on all the banknotes.
Their consultative panel was made up of participants from all four nations:
Katy Bell, Ulster wildlife
Gordon Buchanan MBE, wildlife broadcaster
Miranda Krestovnikoff, wildlife broadcaster
Steve Ormerod, Cardiff University
Nadeem Perera, wildlife broadcaster
Dawn Scott, Nottingham Trent University
I suspect it’s only the retention of separate note issuing powers that has stopped that being a major problem. I believe it’s not exactly popular in Wales…
Lewisham2221
Established Member
Why is all the outrage only about Churchill, not any of the other figures being replaced? Why were there not decades of outrage at Churchill's portrait not being featured, prior to 2016?
DelW
Established Member
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- 15 Jan 2015
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- 5,948
Because the outrage is entirely synthetic political opportunism
I reckon if you'd stopped 100 people in the street (before this announcement) and asked them who is portrayed on our banknotes, about 99 wouldn't have had a clue. Anyone under twenty would probably have asked "what's a banknote?".
I probably use cash more than most people and I had to open my wallet and look. Churchill on the £5, Jane Austen on the £10, and JMWTurner on the £20. I don't have a £50.
Ashley Hill
Established Member
Banknotes do not need to be political or politically correct. Using flora and fauna to me seems a very good idea.
GusB
Established Member
I'd certainly agree that many people probably won't have a clue, especially as fewer people are using cash these days. Having worked in retail and handled thousands of notes over the years, the only ones that I really remember are the Royal Bank of Scotland notes with Lord Ilay on the front and castles on the back. That and her maj's mugshot on Bank of England notes.
DM352
Member
My last UK visit was mostly cashless though did have a £50 note which did not work at a Gatwick station machine (only 5,10,20 apparently) with no human operated kiosks that could have taken it! The station staff answer was to spend it in the airport but had a train to catch.
pr1
Member
We have an update.
The BoE panel has drawn up a shortlist of creatures and animals, for which the public can vote. The most popular might not be selected (it's indicative rather than determinative, that's banknote design for you.)
I've voted rather 'safely' - pine marten, owl, butterfly. We await the results.
BBC news story:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgzrpe6mzjo
Bank of England link: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/news/2026/june/wildlife-new-banknote-series
The BoE panel has drawn up a shortlist of creatures and animals, for which the public can vote. The most popular might not be selected (it's indicative rather than determinative, that's banknote design for you.)
I've voted rather 'safely' - pine marten, owl, butterfly. We await the results.
BBC news story:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgzrpe6mzjo
Bank of England link: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/news/2026/june/wildlife-new-banknote-series
pokemonsuper9
Established Member
Those were very close to my choices, I picked owl in place of the puffin
I did
Fox
Hedgehog
Owl
Woodpecker
Frog
Bee
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Bizarre there are no waterfowl on the list given how they are probably one of the most accessible types of birds, a feature of many parks, village ponds, and so on and a feature of I’m sure everyone’s childhood, feeding them when down at the park or by the river or canal.
They ducked the issue.
Surprised there’s only one butterfly -and one of the less well-known ones as well- as I would have thought that the patterning would lend itself well to a banknote.
No reptiles either (Irish sensibilities about snakes notwithstanding) and only the common frog representing the amphibians- I wonder whether French tourists would take exception?
I thought the Swan would be in with a shout.
kje7812
Member
Well, I voted for Hedgehog, Fox, Kingfisher, Woodpecker, Bumblebee and Dragonfly.
Bevan Price
Established Member
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- 8,319
Why no trees or flowers in the list ? No oak tree, no roses. Why not UK's most popular bird, the Robin?
A mediocre selection in my opinion.
A mediocre selection in my opinion.
There was a Robin on the back of a farthing.
A rose is a good idea, I'd keep the colour neutral though!
I thought it was a Wren and not a Robin ?
You are right, tbh they do look similar
kje7812
Member
Nothing stopping them adding them.
The new 5p has oak leaves on it.
As an aside: no banknotes are legal tender in Scotland, nor Northern Ireland for that matter.
RUK
Member
I’m surprised at the people saying that it’s un-British and un-patriotic, given that the coins have just gotten flora and fauna on them, for the reason that the King’s an environmentalist - the bank-notes would fit in with that, too.
I picked the most threatened/vulnerable/endangered and lesser-known species out of the choices given, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species conservation status, rather than for aesthetic reasons, in order to raise awareness about them:
Hedgehog (near threatened), pine marten (critically endangered in England and Wales, least concern in Scotland), Atlantic puffin (vulnerable), Eurasian curlew (near threatened), Atlantic salmon (near threatened), basking shark (endangered). All the rest of the options are ranked as Least Concern.
I picked the most threatened/vulnerable/endangered and lesser-known species out of the choices given, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species conservation status, rather than for aesthetic reasons, in order to raise awareness about them:
Hedgehog (near threatened), pine marten (critically endangered in England and Wales, least concern in Scotland), Atlantic puffin (vulnerable), Eurasian curlew (near threatened), Atlantic salmon (near threatened), basking shark (endangered). All the rest of the options are ranked as Least Concern.
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