Puffin and Barn Owl set to be depicted on next series of banknotes once final designs have been determined

 

Barn Owl in flight - with Spurn lighthouse in background

The Puffin and the Barn Owl are the two birds that will feature as central images in the Bank of England's next series of banknotes (on the other side from the King). The Bank today published this press release.

The Puffin, Barn Owl, Buff-tailed Bumblebee and  Hedgehog will represent UK wildlife and feature as the central images on our next series of banknotes.

The decision comes after nearly 500,000 people responded to a public consultation asking which native wildlife they would favour.

They chose from a shortlist of 18 options across three categories - mammals, birds/amphibians, insects/fish.

The selected animals meet the Bank’s objectives for a distinctive set of banknotes that can support counterfeit resilience and are representative of the UK.  

The Barn Owl, Buff-tailed bumblebee  and  Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) were the most popular animals in their respective categories. 

The Puffin was selected because it was the most popular marine creature and "will provide an opportunity to celebrate the British coastline". 

The decision on which animal will feature on which denomination will be made in due course and announced closer to launch. 

While the selected animals will feature as the central imagery for the next series, the banknotes will also feature other elements from nature to complete the designs, potentially including other shortlisted animals. 

The next series will continue to include a portrait of the monarch.

It takes several years to design, test and print banknotes, to make sure they are high-quality, resilient and accessible. 

The expectation is  that the first denomination from the next series will be launched over the next few years.

The selection panel consisted of: 

* Katy Bell, Ulster Wildlife

* Gordon Buchanan MBE, wildlife filmmaker

* Miranda Krestovnikoff, wildlife presenter

* Steve Ormerod, Cardiff University

* Nadeem Perera, wildlife presenter

* Dawn Scott, Nottingham Trent University.   

Mammals category votes:

European hedgehog  (259,665)

Red fox (244,651)

Brown hare (130,614)

Grey seal (92,043)

Pine marten (82,773)

Bottlenose dolphin (48,847)

Birds category votes:

Barn owl  (270,596)

Common kingfisher (211,277)

Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) (183,137)

Great spotted woodpecker (86,839)

White-tailed eagle (46,109)

Eurasian curlew (44,521)

Amphibians, insects and fish category votes:

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) 

While the use of cash for transactions has declined over the past decade, it remains the preferred payment method for about one in seven people and is used by many more. 

The amount of cash in circulation has also continued to increase, reaching £91.5 billion at the end of February 2026. 

                                             

Puffin - described by panel judge Miranda Krestovnikoff as 'characterful and charismatic'