Bank of England confirms four animals chosen for new banknotes

Hundreds of thousands of people took part in deciding which animals will appear on the next series of notes printed by the Bank of England

The public has chosen the four animals that will appear on the next 5, 10, 20 and 50 banknotes.

Nearly 480,000 people voted in a Bank of England consultation launched in June. They were asked which animals should replace the historical figures currently shown on the notes; the results have now been announced.

Nearly half a million people took part in the consultation, choosing the Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee and European hedgehog as the central images.

Victoria Cleland, the Bank of England's chief cashier, said: "I am delighted that nearly half a million people responded to our wildlife imagery consultation, showing that cash still matters."

Thank you to everyone who took part, especially those I met at our events. With their help, we selected four distinctive, inspiring animals that reflect the UK's rich wildlife and will make our banknotes more secure.

In July 2025, the Bank of England asked the public to choose a theme for its new banknotes through an initial consultation.

Animals won. The bank confirmed the choice in March 2026 after 44,000 people responded, with 60% naming it among their preferred themes.

The animal-based notes rolling out over the next few years will use the latest technology, making counterfeiting more difficult.

How did people vote?

Earlier this summer, the Bank of England asked people to choose from a shortlist of 18 animals grouped into three categories: mammals; birds and amphibians; and insects and fish.

The vote totals were:

Mammals

The European hedgehog led the mammals with 259,665 votes, followed by the red fox with 244,651 and the brown hare with 130,614. The grey seal received 92,043 votes, the pine marten 82,773, and the bottlenose dolphin 48,847.

Birds

Among birds, the barn owl came first with 270,596 votes. The common kingfisher received 211,277, while the Atlantic puffin received 183,137. The great spotted woodpecker had 86,839 votes; the white-tailed eagle, 46,109; and the Eurasian curlew, 44,521.

Amphibians, insects and fish

Buff-tailed bumblebee: 360,399
Emperor dragonfly: 143,894
Common frog: 120,382
Marsh fritillary butterfly: 108,467
Basking shark: 69,699
Atlantic salmon: 45,090

What other new banknotes have entered circulation in recent years?

Following King Charles III's accession to the throne in 2022, new banknotes bearing his portrait entered circulation in 2024.

The 5, 10, 20, and 50 denominations showed the new monarch on one side, with historical figures appearing on the other.

Winston Churchill, the former prime minister, appeared on the reverse of the 5 note. The 20 note featured the artist J. M. W. Turner.

The reverse of the 10 note features early nineteenth-century author Jane Austen, while mathematician Alan Turing appears on one side of the 50 note.

A few of the first new notes to enter circulation have sold for thousands of pounds since they were printed.

It isn't only new banknotes that have appeared since the King ascended the throne. Coins bearing his face began arriving at Post Office branches in late 2022.