The Bank of England on June 3, 2026, announced a shortlist of 18 animals that could replace portraits of prominent British figures on banknotes—a tradition that had lasted for over 50 years. A panel of wildlife experts worked on the list, and four denominations — £5, £10, £20 and £50 — will each feature a different animal as the central image.
The decision to transition to a nature theme was made following a public survey in 2025: nature received the largest share of nominations and received the most support in focus groups. Specifically, 60% of more than 44,000 participants chose nature as the priority theme.
The List and Selection Logic
The 18 candidates are divided into three categories: mammals, birds, and amphibians, insects and fish. Among them are hedgehogs, foxes, common frogs, kingfishers, bumblebees, Atlantic puffins, dragonflies and salmon.
However, the choice of animals is not merely a matter of preferences. The animals' images are planned to be integrated with counterfeit protection technologies: according to the Bank, animals are particularly well-suited for this—their shapes and movements allow recognizable security features to be embedded. The value of cash in circulation continues to grow and reached £91.5 billion by the end of February 2026.
Who Didn't Make the Cut—and Why It's Controversial
The RSPCA is not hiding its disappointment. The organization—with the Bank of England's consent—published examples of what banknotes could look like featuring less "presentable" animals: seagulls, rats, pigeons and badgers.
"It's wonderful that the Bank of England has put together a diverse shortlist—from hedgehogs to foxes, from frogs to kingfishers. But we would like to see more 'underdogs' among the animals."
Dr. Ross Clubb, Head of Wild Animals Department at RSPCA
Badgers, seagulls, rats and pigeons did not make the list—despite being an integral part of British wildlife and living alongside millions of people.
The Monarch Remains—But Becomes Background
The new design will preserve the monarch's portrait on banknotes, and representation of the four nations—England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—will become an important design element. The size of the banknotes and the overall color scheme will not change.
Several more years remain before the full launch of the new series: design, testing and printing is a detailed multi-year process. Public voting is open until July 3, 2026.
The practical question here is not "which animal is more beautiful," but rather: if the choice of symbols on payment instruments truly shapes attitudes toward nature—as the RSPCA claims, citing its own research—will the new design be merely a security update, or will it actually change something in public perception of wildlife? The answer will become clear when the Bank announces its final choice.
