The Bank of England have chosen to feature British wildlife on their next issue of newly designed banknotes following a public consultation last year.
The general public was asked to choose from six themes they would like to see featured on the new notes – Noteworthy Milestones, Innovation, Arts, Culture & Sport, Notable Historical Figures, Architecture & Landmarks and Nature.
Over 60% of respondents voted for Nature, with ‘wildlife native to the UK’ the most popular choice – and the Bank of England have also deemed that using wildlife images would allow them to develop even more advanced security features on the new notes.
For the last 50 years, the Bank of England has featured many inspirational historical figures on their banknotes, celebrating individuals who have helped shape innovation, leadership and values within the UK, such as Florence Nightingale, Charles Dickens, Alan Turing and Winston Churchill. Find out more about the History of Banknotes here.
The latest designs provide an opportunity to celebrate another important aspect of the UK – our wildlife – and the Bank of England are currently compiling a list of specific wildlife for the public to choose from.
A second consultation will then run over the summer of 2026 to determine what wildlife will be featured on the notes, which could include anything from animals and fish to plants and landscapes.
This next generation of banknotes won’t be issued until a few years from now, while the Bank of England work on incorporating the latest anti-counterfeiting technology. Issuing new banknotes is a complex task involving designing, vigorous testing and printing to ensure they are high-quality, resilient and accessible.
These new banknotes will continue to feature a portrait of our current monarch, King Charles III, and there are also plans to feature some kind of Representation of the Home Nations.
Cash continues to be an important part of the payment infrastructure in the UK, with one in five people using it as their preferred method of payment, and many more using it for smaller or occasional purchases.
Cash handling experts Volumatic are excited to hear this announcement about the new banknotes, with MD James Harris commenting: “It’s always exciting for us when new banknotes are announced and we look forward to seeing the final wildlife designs once the public has voted on them this summer.”
“As always, we will work closely with the Bank of England to ensure that our products, such as the CCi and our range of CountEasy cash counting scales, are upgraded as necessary when the new notes are issued.”
“As it will be a few years until these new banknotes enter circulation, we want to reassure our customers that we will get in touch with them, as and when required, to ensure that all Volumatic cash handling devices continue to work seamlessly with any new notes that enter circulation.”
