Greedy pigs, bear markets and unicorn start-ups.
There are plenty of animals associated with money. A basking shark and a common frog don’t tend to come to mind.
But they count among the 18 mammals, birds, amphibians, insects and fish the Bank of England is considering putting on the U.K.’s banknotes — as the central bank puts itself back in the political firing line with plans to replace historical figures with “native” wildlife on British cash.
From today, the Bank will give the British public one month to weigh in on which of the animals should become a national treasure — literally — as the central image on the nation’s £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes, replacing Winston Churchill and others.
The public will choose between classic British icons like the Atlantic puffin, the comedy seabird with its black-and-white feathering and bright red bill, or the country’s ubiquitous scavenger, the red fox, or the dazzling flash of the common kingfisher.
But the shortlist also includes some wildcards: the pine marten, a shy animal that hides in ancient forests, or the white-tailed eagle, a huge bird of prey that is part of a reintroduction program and the bane of angry farmers, or the curlew, a lesser-known wading bird with a large curved bill.
The Bank stressed the animals — grouped into three categories consisting of mammals; birds; and amphibians, insects and fish — are all native to the U.K. and had been compiled by a panel of wildlife experts.
Yet that is unlikely to satisfy the Bank’s critics, including Reform leader Nigel Farage, who accused the central bank in March of going “woke” with the plans to replace war hero Churchill on Britain’s £5 notes with a picture of a beaver.
No foreign species
While a beaver didn’t make the shortlist, the wartime prime minister could be phased out for an invertebrate if the public opt for a butterfly or a bumblebee.
A British bulldog isn’t an option for the Churchill fans. Alongside foreign species, the Bank said pets are not an option.
“Only the animals on the shortlist published today can feature as the central images on the new series,” the Bank said. “We are not seeking alternative nominations.”
Author Jane Austen, painter J MW Turner and mathematician Alan Turing — who all feature on the current batch of banknotes — also face being returned to history books as their faces are gradually removed from circulation.
The public has until July 3 to cast their votes — for up to two animals in each category — to whittle down the list to a top four.
But they won’t actually get the deciding vote. Bank of England chief Andrew Bailey has the final say.
The governor, nicknamed the “sexy turtle” by the press, gets the casting vote to make sure each banknote is distinct enough.
And, with no reptiles on the list, the common frog might be the odds-on favorite.