Bank of England Ditches Historical Figures for Wildlife on New Banknotes

The Bank of England is redesigning its banknotes to feature animals native to the UK. The decision was made after a public consultation, which saw nature chosen as the preferred theme by 60% of respondents. The current notes feature notable historical figures such as Winston Churchill and Jane Austen, but will be replaced with images of frogs, hedgehogs, seals, woodpeckers, salmon, and other creatures.

The Bank's chief cashier, Victoria Cleland, oversees the redesign process and notes that it's a complex task that balances aesthetics and security while evoking national identity. The public vote allowed the bank to sidestep potential controversy over historical figures.

The trend of featuring landscapes and wildlife on currency is not unique to the UK. The European Central Bank is also redesigning its euro banknotes, with a focus on 'European culture' or 'rivers and birds'. The choice of imagery is tied to projecting ideas of nationhood and can be seen in how newly independent nations have replaced racist ethnographic imagery with liberation heroes.