Churchill and Austen to be replaced on UK new banknotes by wildlife

"The Bank of England is set to replace historical figures with images of the UK's diverse wildlife on its next series of banknotes, inviting the public to help choose which natural elements will feature. This significant change marks a departure from over 50 years of showcasing prominent Britons such as Sir Winston Churchill, Alan Turing, and Jane Austen on the nation's currency."

"Crucially, it also aims to bolster security, making the new notes more resistant to counterfeiting and their security features more easily distinguishable. This decision follows a public consultation where the UK wildlife theme garnered the highest proportion of nominations, securing 60 per cent of votes."

The Bank of England is transitioning from featuring prominent historical figures like Winston Churchill and Jane Austen to showcasing UK wildlife on its next series of banknotes. This marks a significant departure from over 50 years of tradition. The central bank invited public participation to select which natural elements will appear on the currency. Beyond aesthetic purposes, the wildlife imagery serves practical security functions, making banknotes more resistant to counterfeiting with more distinguishable security features. A public consultation involving over 44,000 responses determined the theme, with wildlife receiving the highest support at 60% of nominations, followed by architecture and landmarks at 56%.

Read at www.independent.co.uk