Four Animals Chosen for Britain’s New Notes

The Bank of England has announced the four animals the public selected to appear on a new series of nature-themed bank notes. The Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee, and European hedgehog were chosen in a consultation that attracted nearly 500,000 participants. Victoria Cleland, chief cashier at the Bank of England, said, “I am delighted that nearly half a million people responded to our wildlife imagery consultation, showing that cash still matters.”

Voting took place from June 3 to July 3, 2026, following an earlier public consultation in which wildlife emerged as the preferred theme for the new notes. The selected species will represent Britain’s diverse wildlife, including its coastal and marine environments.

The barn owl, bumblebee, and hedgehog led their respective categories, while the Atlantic puffin was selected to provide representation of the nation’s marine wildlife. The Bank of England has not yet determined which animal will appear on each denomination.

The new designs will be used on £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes. The portrait of the reigning monarch will remain, continuing a tradition established on British bank notes in 1970.

Designing, testing, and printing the new notes will take several years, and security features will be updated to make counterfeiting more difficult.